Vines
by entity9silvergen
Summary: Blake has always been unhappy with his life in Pewter City and had never considered becoming a Pokemon Trainer until he befriended a wild Ivysaur and decided to follow a new path. (Writing Challenge) [Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon]
1. Get Free

**Author's Note:** This was a writing challenge written starting February 2018 and finished April 2018. It was the first fanfic I ever finished. Any poor grammar or writing has been/ is being edited. Now published in August 2019. The challenge is essentially just that the names of the chapters were given as the only prompt. The chapter titles are songs by a band called the Vines who I do not listen to but a friend recommended it. Not my best work and very old but I hope you enjoy. Uploaded for nostalgic purposes.

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He watched a shot of Arbok's Acid Spray fly past his head, barely missing, and hit the ground beside him, burning the grass on the floor of the forest. Bulbasaur did not stop running as fast as his stocky legs could carry him. Leaner pokemon, such as the long-legged Hitmonlee or the tree-swinging Mankey, passed him with ease. He watched them flee far into the distance while he and other small pokemon remained within the sights of their pursuers.

"Arbok, Gunk Shot!" shouted one of the humans. The pokemon of this route had been living the day peacefully as any other group of pokemon until these humans showed up. They came in a fast, aggressive fashion with their black suits and predatory pokemon. Now, the usually calm pokemon were all fleeing for their lives. Behind them, humans were running after them with their angry pokemon between them and the forest's pokemon, ready to strike as soon as the opportunity arose.

A hard sound of something slamming into the ground spread through the area. Bulbasaur risked a glance over his shoulder to see Scyther fall from the sky where she'd been flying, now covered in the purple gunk from Arbok's mouth. Using her scythes, she tried to push herself to her feet so she could take to the air again and escape but she didn't even have time to get a grip on the ground. Arbok lunged and wrapped itself around her, immobilizing her.

Bulbasaur was horrified to see his friend be treated like that but he kept running. He figured while Arbok was struggling with her, he and the others had time to get away. He soon realized he was wrong.

After seeing the shadow pass overhead, he barely had time to take a small leap sideways and skid to a stop, kicking up dust from the forest floor. The attacking Fearow missed its target and crashed into the ground. A Drowzee running not far behind Bulbasaur heavily stepped on one of its wings as it continued its clumsy dash. Drowzee momentarily paused and turned around to lift the Fearow out of the path with a Confusion. Bulbasaur decided he'd kept still for too long and started running again but not soon enough to avoid hearing Drowzee get nailed with another attack. From the sound of it, it was Fearow's Fury Attack. Bulbasaur winced, imagining how much that hurt, but just kept running.

Adrenaline pumped through his sturdy little body as he sprinted, not slowing, alongside the pokemon he'd known for his entire life and away from the danger that had already claimed a few of them. Running like this made his vision tunnel from focus and fear but if he wasn't so concentrated, he would acknowledge his rage toward the humans. He didn't understand why they suddenly came or why they were attacking him but it made a burning emotion bubble up in his belly. He wanted them gone but he knew he couldn't do anything about it but hope that he and his friends escaped before too many of them were caught.

He ran like this for a while, relying on his sense of hearing to know what was happening to his friends around him and the vibrations in the ground to feel if any of the attackers were nearing. The intensity of the moment made him feel powerful but it didn't last. He was tiring but still ran out of pure fear and the adrenaline caused by it. His strides began to weaken and he slowed. He began to feel the hot breath of another Arbok, or possibly even the same one as before, on the back of his thick legs.

Before the cobra-like pokemon had a chance to sink its teeth into his thigh, a loud roar cut through the air. The Arbok reared back, looking up to see what the sound came from. Bulbasaur kept running forward, thankful someone came to his rescue.

Nidoking, the greatest and strongest pokemon of the Route stood, facing the dark dressed humans and their vicious pokemon. Bulbasaur ran past Nidoking then collapsed next to a couple Pikachu who had taken shelter behind the massive pokemon. He was exhausted. The pokemon in this forest fought rarely and his little body wasn't used to so much activity.

Nidoking bellowed again and stomped on the ground, causing the ground to shake. He stood tall, lifting his head proudly and flexing his arms then lowered, directing his horn at the attackers. He was trying to intimidate them.

The humans had time to catch up with their pokemon. There were a lot of them, most of them running on foot and a few in a big grey truck with a large storage unit attached. They yelled something that Bulbasaur couldn't understand. He had a little difficulty understanding humans sometimes, especially when they were speaking unclearly like these ones but it seemed they were questioning why their pokemon stopped their pursuit.

They understood when they saw Nidoking. A few of the smaller humans backed up, intimidated, but the two biggest and meanest looking shared a dark look. Reaching down, they each drew two pokeballs. The Arbok, the hovering Fearow and the pack of Raticate that had been chasing them backed up.

"Pinsir!"

"Magmar!"

They each threw the pokeballs at Nidoking. The two pokemon appeared and braced for battle. Nidoking lowered his head again and growled deeply, bracing as well.

Bulbasaur, still lying on the ground, heard a friendly snort from above. He looked up and spotted Mankey. Mankey tossed a few Oran Berries down. Bulbasaur extended his vines and caught them. Mankey dropped down and ate one then encouraged Bulbasaur and some of the other resting pokemon to do the same.

Mankey walked to Nidoking's side and tapped him. Nidoking looked down in confusion then nodded after a moment. He understood. The others would fight alongside him.

Nidoking turned back, taking the first move. He stomped, sending a Fissure through the ground towards Pinsir then rushing forward, hands glowing in the glowing flames of a Fire Punch.

Bulbasaur didn't watch more after that. He rushed forward and used Tackle on the nearest enemy pokemon, a Raticate. It was not ready so it fell back despite the attack not being the strongest. Mankey, who was running towards it too, leaped in the air and nailed it with a Karate Chop before running off to help one of the Pikachu fight Arbok.

Raticate rose and looked around, slightly disoriented, before its eyes zeroed in on Bulbasaur. It showed its teeth and made that grinding sound Bulbasaur hated. One of the dark men walked up behind the Raticate and stared at Bulbasaur.

"That there's a Bulbasaur. Usually you can only get them things from a Professor," the man said. Bulbasaur had to take a moment to think so he could figure out what he said. "He'll make Team Rocket a pretty penny. Get 'im Raticate! Hyper Fang!"

Raticate's extended front glowed and it lunged. Bulbasaur responded by lashing out with his vines. Using one, he propelled himself back a foot or two and used the other to try and hit Raticate. Raticate opened its ugly mouth and chomped down on the vine.

Bulbasaur grunted in pain but managed to lifted his vine, trying to shake Raticate off. Raticate's bite grew stronger as it put more power into its jaw muscles. Pain shot up Bulbasaur's vine. He really didn't want it to be bitten off. It happened once before and he really didn't want to go through the process of growing it back again. It was rather unpleasant.

Thankfully, Mankey came to his aid again. From where he was fighting the Arbok, he redirected a Gunk Shot with a kick, sending it towards Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur saw it soon enough to sweep his vines in its direction, causing Raticate to take the hit from his own ally.

Raticate screamed in pain and released the vine. The human yelled angrily. Raticate got up and stood again. Before either could attack, a loud thud was heard. Bulbasaur turned to see Nidoking lying on his stomach, unconscious. He had Magmar pinned under him but Pinsir standing victoriously on his back, its hand was pressed against the back of Nidoking's neck, still glowing from the remaining light of a Guillotine.

Taking advantage of Bulbasaur's distraction, Raticate used Quick Attack. Bulbasaur was hit but didn't fall. Raticate kept up its attack. Raticate raked its claws against Bulbasaur's face and bit down hard on his ear, not even using the moves Bite or Scratch. Pure and primitive, the Raticate was merely trying to hurt him. Now it was Bulbasaur's turn to scream.

"Yeah! Get 'im Raticate!" the human shouted. Raticate made a sound of acknowledgement and used Focus Energy, not releasing its grip on Bulbasaur, then switched to Hyper Fang without even releasing him. Bulbasaur cried out as the glowing fangs sank into the soft, fleshy plant matter that made up his skin and battered Raticate's back with his vines. Raticate released him and backed up. Bulbasaur closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain in his head.

There were suddenly human hands around his body, trying to pick him up. He tried to dig his claws into the soft ground but he was torn away from it, causing blades of grass and specks of dirt to fly into the air. Bulbasaur struggled but he was in a lot pain.

He opened his eyes and felt something ooze into his eyes. It felt kind of like the substance that came out of his bulb but he knew it had to come from the injury on his forehead. Blinking through the substance, he saw the unconscious Nidoking being dragged towards the truck.

Bulbasaur began struggling again but he was held tighter by the rough grip. The man walked towards the truck and tossed him into a small cage in the back. When he was thrown, his back hit the back of the cage painfully but it was still nowhere near close to the pain in his head. It really hurt. He never knew a Raticate's jaw was so strong.

Bulbasaur watched as the other pokemon were loaded onto the truck. Mankey, a Paras and the Pikachu duo were put on board. Scyther and Drowzee were in cages behind him with a few other pokemon that he recgonized. Finally Nidoking was shoved in and tied down on the ground in front of them as there was no cage large enough for him.

The doors to the truck were shut with a hard slam that shook the truck. The engine started and everything moved, the truck rolling over uneven terrain. Bulbasaur closed his eyes again. He hoped this wasn't reality, that this just a Hypno messing with his dreams again, as he tried to ignore the pounding in his head.


	2. Ride

The light hum of a motorcycle cut through the air. Blake sat behind his sister, Olivia, wrapping his arms around her to keep himself from falling off as she drove them down a route leaving Pewter City and towards a foresty area in the distance, a land away from city life and filled with natural life.

Inhaling the fresh air away from the city, Blake felt better. He was in a mood. Not a good one but not necessarily a bad one. He could never find words for how he felt. Usually it felt like having no feeling but there was still a presence of feeling. It was strange. Sometimes, for almost no reason, that feeling would go away and he'd be in what his sister called a "mood." Not in a bad sense, he just felt off. Like he needed to get away. When this happened, she'd drive him out of the city before she went out so he could spend some time alone. Today was one of those days.

"You feeling better yet?" she asked.

"Yeah," he responded softly as he gazed out at the roadside. It was filled with tall grass. A Growlithe and Vulpix played, their heads occasionally peaking above the grass as they leaped. They looked happy. Blake felt peaceful but Olivia kept talking.

"You know what got you in the mood again?" she asked. The motorcycle's hum caught the attention of the two pokemon. They looked at the two humans then ran off. Blake sighed.

"Nope."

"Did something happen?"

"No."

"Did someone say something?"

"No."

"It just happens for no reason?"

"Yes."

"Are you depressed?"

"No. Stop asking that," he told her. She'd taken him to get checked out a couple times before but he was just a normal kid. He was perfectly fine. Life just got him down sometimes.

They rode in silence for a while until they met the line where dirt road and tall grass met trees and undergrowth. Olivia pulled over and got off the motorcycle, kicking down the peg to keep it from tipping and taking off her helmet to look at her brother. Blake got off but he wore no helmet to take off.

"Well, I gotta get going. They're bringing some fossil pokemon to the Pewter Museum today and they asked for some strong trainers to be on standby in the city incase they get out," she explained. "Do you want me to pick you up later?"

"No, I'll be fine," he said. "I can walk."

Olivia put her helmet and got back on her motorcycle. "Okay, I'll-"

She was cut off by a loud screech coming from further down the route. "What was that?"

"I dunno, probably a Mankey or something." Blake shrugged. "I've seen some running around in there."

Olivia shook her head. "No, it sounded like tires."

She got off her motorcycle and took off her helmet again. She began to walk into the trees, towards the sound.

"You really don't need to check it out," Blake protested. Mentally, he cursed his cowardice. He knew he wasn't the most courageous person and avoided confrontation. Unfortunately, his sister did not share that trait.

"No way," she said. "I'm not leaving my kid brother in a place I think is unsafe."

"I'm not a kid anymore," he mumbled but followed her. He didn't really mind when she said things like that but she had to realize at some point that he was the same age she was when she was considered old enough to be her own person, to go where she pleased, to be a pokemon trainer, and protect herself. He didn't particularly want to follow in her footsteps but if she expected him to like she seemed to, she should treat him like it.

She jogged deeper into the forest, Blake having to grudgingly speed up a bit to keep up with her. They didn't have to go very far to find a thick set of tire tracks.

"Told you," she said without looking at him. Looking up ahead, they spotted a truck. Getting closer, they saw two men loading something into its trunk and a third slamming the door closed then starting the truck up to drive away.

"Hey!" Olivia shouted. The driver ignored her. She drew a pokeball. "Rapidash, Fire Blast!"

Blake's eyes widened in surprise as Rapidash shot a flare at the truck, hitting and stopping it. Attacking people wasn't something he'd expect his sister to do. His expression changed when he saw the driver and passengers clamber out.

"What are you-?!" yelled the truck driver. Blake's blood went cold when he saw the R printed on his chest. These guys were in full Team Rocket uniform. The driver stopped and looked at Rapidash then Olivia then back again a few more times. He smirked. "Looks like we might have some more merch to bring back to base."

"Strong trainer," a grunt said.

"Pretty one, too," another added.

Olivia glared but didn't respond to them. "Rapidash, Fire Blast again!"

The Rocket Grunts didn't flee. They each tossed a pokeball. The first pokemon to appear was a Magmar which took the Fire Blast. A Pinsir, a Fearow, a few Raticate and an Arbok appeared beside it, facing Rapidash with confidence Blake had never seen.

Olivia threw two more pokeballs. Exeggutor and Likitung appeared, ready to fight.

"Pinsir, X-Scissor!"

"Raticate Hyper Fang, Raticate Crunch, Raticate Super Fang!"

"Arbok Gunk Shot!"

"Fearow Aerial Ace!"

"Rapidash Inferno, Exeggutor Psychic, Likitung Body Slam!" Olivia yelled. All of the pokemon lunged, meeting in the middle to duke it out. Olivia turned and looked down at her brother while everyone else was distracted.

"Go!" she hissed quickly and quietly.

"I'm not just leaving you to fight Team Rocket!" he protested again.

"I didn't say run! Loop around and get to the car. They said they were going to get 'more merch,' meaning they've gotta have all the pokemon from the route back there."

Blake nodded and gulped. He wished he'd kept his mouth shut or just stayed home but he backed up into the trees for cover anyway and began to make his way around the battle.

Pushing aside low branches, he hid in the shelter of the forest and ambled towards the truck from a distance. Abandoning the cover of the greenery once he got closer, he sneaked towards the truck.

"Exeggutor, Seed Bomb!" Olivia shouted. Blake glanced sideways to see Exeggutor knocking Arbok away from Likitung. His sister was a great battler. She knew how to get her pokemon to work together and she trained them to be the best. He shook his head and refocused.

He was at the truck now. Walking around the truck, he got to the back doors and stood with his hands on the handles and his back facing the battle. Ignoring his fear, he pulled the doors open and looked in.

Dozens eyes looked back at him through the bars of cages. Pokemon in cages, stacked tightly on top of each other against the walls. He couldn't see all of the pokemon, it was dark, but he knew they were all watching him. He put a finger over his lips, giving them the quiet sign, not knowing if they could understand or not.

He climbed into the car and knelt down next to the first cage he saw. A Mankey looked up at him and chattered, jumping around from foot to foot.

"Shh," Blake hushed again. "Calm down."

Mankey stopped jumping but stared up at him and waved his arms wildly. Blake realized he was trying to tell him something.

Blake suddenly heard a deep-throated growl. He turned his head and looked into the shadows deeper into the truck. He looked back down at Mankey who was waving his arms around again. Blake rose to his feet from the kneeling position and tentatively walked towards the pokemon who'd made the sound.

A huge head suddenly leaned forward. Blake gasped and fell back as he scrambled away.

"Nido…" the pokemon groaned. He looked at the boy with tired eyes. Blake exhaled sharply and got up to get a better look. Nidoking was lying on the floor of the truck, tightly tied in a thick rope, unable to move or free himself.

Blake let out a ragged breath, terrified of beig so close to such a large wild pokemon without any kind of protection but he kneeled down again and tugged at the ropes. They didn't budge or loosen in the slightest. He tried again but his hands slipped, giving him minor rope burn.

"Nido," Nidoking murmured.

"Don't worry," Blake told him quietly, still very aware that Team Rocket was just outside the truck. He tugged at the rope again to no avail. He leaned back and looked at the pokemon.

"Nidoking…" Nidoking sighed, realizing this child wasn't near strong enough to free him. To his surprise, Blake leaned forward again and began pulling on the rope again.

"I might be able to move it by your hands or tail," he told him. "Then you can use one of your moves to destroy the rope."

"Nido?" Nidoking stared at him, not understanding.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," Blake muttered, leaning back again. "I need your strength to free the other pokemon but I need their strength to free you."

"Nido!" Nidoking struggled against the ropes a bit before staring back at Blake again. He was the only one who could help him.

Blake stared at him defeatedly. He was wasting time. His sister couldn't fight Team Rocket forever. Nidoking started struggling again, almost rolling onto his back. He grunted as if in pain then rolled back.

Blake got behind him to see what was wrong. The ropes bound him uncomfortably and they all met at one point. A knot. Blake smiled. He knew what to do.

Taking the knot in his hands, he began tugging at it. The knot soon loosened, ever so slowly, and he was able to slip his fingers in and pull it apart.

The ropes suddenly loosened around Nidoking. He was surprised that the human child had been able to free him, let alone so quickly. Blake stepped back and watched Nidoking begin to struggle against the bonds again but this time he knew he'd get free. After a swift Chip Away, Nidoking was free.

Nidoking wanted to roar, displaying his power, but he knew that he needed to be quiet and he also didn't want to scare the human child. Nidoking bowed his head in thanks and respect before walking across the trunk towards the door.

"Wait!" Blake called quietly, thinking he was trying to leave but Nidoking stopped and clawed at the bars of a nearby cage. Blake ran to his side and peered in, curious why he went to this pokemon first.

"Bulbasaur…" the pokemon moaned. It was lying on its stomach, resting its head on its front legs. A nasty gash oozed some kind of liquid from his head. The smell made Blake gag a bit but he didn't pull away.

"King." Nidoking said. He slashed the bars off then turned and did the same to Mankey's cage. Mankey leaped out and went to Bulbasaur's side.

Nidoking turned away from them and began working on the other cages. Blake stood back and watched, knowing he couldn't do anything more. He relaxed slightly. He'd been tense the whole time, scared to be around wild pokemon and scared to be in a Team Rocket truck but now everything was-

"Hey!" he suddenly heard a voice shout. Team Rocket. "The kid's messing with the merch!"

Blake looked up and peered out the door as Nidoking turned from the cages and glared angrily at Team Rocket. He stepped out of the truck with a heavy step, ready to fight. Team Rocket's pokemon turned from their fight with Olivia's team to look at him. Nidoking leaned his head back and roared with the fury of a thousand Primeape.

Team Rocket's pokemon ducked in fear but their trainers weren't having that.

"Pinsir, X-Scissor!"

Pinsir shook its head, clearing any weak thoughts and lunged forward. Nidoking braced and lashed out with one arm to bash Pinsir aside. Pinsir was knocked from its trajectory and slid several yards to the side, unconscious.

The Team Rocket grunts each had a different reaction but they all shared a general theme. They weren't happy. Olivia smiled in relief that her part was over and recalled Likitung and Exeggutor but left Rapidash out just in case.

"Raticates! Quick Attack!"

Each Raticate snarled and prepared an attack only to be batted away like Pinsir. Nidoking smirked. He was winning. He didn't even have to move from his protective position in front of the truck.

"Arbok, Gunk Shot!" Arbok's trainer shouted, not wanting his pokemon to be defeated in the same way as his colleagues'.

Arbok formed a wad of toxic waste in its maw and fired it at Nidoking who merely batted it away again.

"Drill Run!" the other grunt called to the Fearow. Fearow flew up into the sky and dove down with Nidoking in its sights.

Nidoking looked up, knowing he had to move. Finally moving from the spot he'd been standing, he sidestepped Fearow's attack, causing it to crash into the ground.

"Poison Sting!" the Grunt shouted before Nidoking could get off a Mega Kick. Arbok opened its mouth again and let out a flurry of high speed darts of poison.

Nidoking lifted his arms to defend himself but his great size wasn't enough to protect the truck.

"Blake!" Olivia yelled, knowing her brother was still in the holding bay of the truck.

Blake reacted quickly. He reached out and shut the doors, keeping the Poison Sting from hitting him or any of the pokemon, freed or caged. He soon realized that wouldn't work. The force of the attack hit the metal and with an echoing sound each time a Poison Sting needle made contact, the truck fell over.

Blake's ears were filled with the sounds of metal cages falling and the cries of pokemon. He put his hands behind his head, protecting his neck, as the truck tipped. He fell painfully on his side with a few cages falling on top of him.

"Blake!" Olivia shouted again. She ran inside the truck and pushed the cages off him. Thankfully, those ones were empty.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he said getting up. He looked out the open, now sideways door of the truck and saw that many of the still locked cages had broken and all the pokemon were fleeing into the forest.

"Hey!" one of the grunts shouted. "They're getting away!"

"You idiot!" One of the trainers yelled at Arbok's trainer. Arbok shrunk away slightly and looked to its trainer.

"Me?" he yelled in response. "I did something, unlike you and your useless Pinsir!"

"Yeah, you sabotaged the mission!"

"Did not! It was those stupid kids and that Nidoking!"

"Hey!" one of the other grunts shouted, grabbing the other two's attention. "If we get 'em now, we might still be able to catch them all again!"

The two arguing grunts looked at him then at each other then back at him.

"Fine!" they both yelled and ran off into the forest in opposite directions, their pokemon following them.

Olivia tried to help Blake out of the truck but he shook her off.

"I better go find those pokemon first," she told him, preparing to take off running. "Wait here until I come back."

"No!" Blake protested. After all he did, he wasn't ready to call it quits yet. He still had adrenaline pumping through his body, pushing down any remaining fear. "I can do something too."

Olivia looked at him then gave in. "Fine. I think I saw a Bulbasaur going that way. It was walking kinda weird, it probably got injured. You go after that one."

"Is that a little green pokemon with a plant on its back?" Blake asked. "I saw it in the truck, it didn't look so good."

"Yeah. Get it then come back here," she told him as she released the rest of her pokemon. "Rapidash, take Kingler and go North. Butterfree, Linitung, Golem, go West, Exeggutor with me."

Each pokemon nodded and took off in the direction they were told. Olivia gave Blake a look before taking off with Exeggutor.

Blake smiled slightly and ran to find Bulbasaur.


	3. Highly Evolved

Blake followed the Bulbasaur's trail long enough that the terrain changed so drastically that he almost thought he'd gotten lost. As he was leaving the cover of the forest, he began to worry that the pokemon hadn't some this way. He paused and looked around. The ground had changed from soft, grassy undergrowth to the dry, hard dirt of a more desert or mountainous biome. He supposed he'd use the word canyon. The ground was a yellowish brown dust. There were hoodoos and other rock formations scattered around, all surrounded by tall canyon walls.

He didn't think a Grass-Type would want to be here, this was more like the land the Rock-Type pokemon of his hometown's Gym Leader Brock would live in. In fact, Brock had probably caught some of his pokemon here. They weren't very far from Pewter City afterall.

Blake was about to turn around when something green caught his eye against all the brown up on a stip of hoodoos near the wall. He spotted the Bulbasaur ambling around on the rocks.

"Hey!" he shouted, trying to get his attention. The Bulbasaur looked down. Blake waved. Bulbasaur looked away and started to run higher up the structure.

"Be careful!" Blake called. The pokemon was running dangerously close to the edge of the thin path. Blake approached the strange structure of rocks and rubbed his hand on it. A cloud of yellowish dust came off. There was no way he'd be able to climb this even if it was stable.

He looked up and saw Bulbasaur jump off the hoodoo and onto the wall. Bulbasaur extended his vines and pulled himself onto a path carved into the side of the mountain. Once all four feet were flat, he began walking around, ignoring the human below.

Blake watched in surprise. Bulbasaur seemed pretty injured earlier and Bulbasaur was still staggering a bit when he walked. It didn't seem able to walk let alone leap like that. Blake ran up to the canyon wall and onto the start of the path Bulbasaur was climbing on.

He soon lost sight of Bulbasaur. Pokemon were used to this kind of terrain while humans rarely ventured to these kinds of lands, or at least he assumed. He didn't see any other pokemon around other than the occasional passing of bird pokemon overhead.

He climbed the path for some time until he reached an outcrop. A rock stuck jagged out from the canyon providing a platform, or a resting place as Blake saw it. He could barely see the forest behind him and there was still a lot of path ahead of him.

"Saur…" he heard before he started walking again. It seemed Bulbasaur had the same idea as he. Looking around, he spotted a small green shape ducked behind one of the few bushes he'd seen since he got here.

"Bulbasaur?" he questioned, approaching it. Getting down, he peered in and saw Bulbasaur lying down like he had been in the cage prior. Bulbasaur looked up in surprise at the sight of the human.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur shouted, getting to its feet then winced in pain.

"Woah, woah, be careful. You're hurt," Blake said putting his hands in front of him, trying to calm it. Bulbasaur continued to glare at him but didn't move. Blake got a good look at the injury on his head.

"That looks pretty bad. Let me get you to a Pokemon Center." Not seeing any sign of protest, Blake lowered his hands to pick it up.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur extended his vines and slapped Blake's hand away.

"I'm sorry," Blake said, rubbing his hand. "I just-"

"Saur!" Bulbasaur lunged forward and Tackled him. Blake fell backward and landed somewhat painfully on his butt. Bulbasaur ducked his head and closed his eyes. It had clearly hurt him more than Blake to attack.

"Hey, stop. I'm just trying to help," Blake said. Bulbasaur continued glaring and braced to attack again. Blake put his arms up defensively.

"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur cried out as he unleashed a Razor Leaf. Blake grunted as his arms were cut and he slid back. He lowered his arms when he felt the attack only to see Bulbasaur rushing at him again. The Tackle hit him hard in the gut. Bulbasaur used Razor Leaf again before he could recover.

That was about all the outcrop could take. Blake felt the ground shift beneath him before it gave out completely. He fell, to scared to scream, towards the ground. Before he could hit it, he suddenly felt something wrap around his waist, catching him.

Blake felt a sudden whiplash and almost blacked out but managed to stay conscious. Looking up, he saw Bulbasaur standing on the edge of what remained of the outcrop with one vine reaching down to hold onto Blake and the other wrapped around rock to keep him from falling as well.

"Bulbaaa!" Bulbasaur strained. He tried to pull up the human but he had nowhere near the needed strength to pull him up.

Blake saw the wound on Bulbasaur's head start to leak again. "Bulbasaur, try to lower me or drop me or something! You can't pull me back up."

Bulbasaur, either not being able to understand him or not caring what he said, continued to hold onto him. He grunted and cried out in effort but being such a light pokemon, any human would weigh several times more than he did. Blake wasn't exactly big but the pokemon wouldn't even reach his knee standing. It seemed impossible for the tiny thing to lift him.

"Bulbasaur, stop!" Blake yelled. Some of the liquid dripped out of Bulbasaur's wound and fell to the ground. Blake looked down and watched it fall. It wasn't that far. The fall probably wouldn't kill him but he'd definitely break some bones. He heard Bulbasaur cry out again and he looked back up to see a white light envelop him. Blake gasped. "You're evolving!"

Still glowing, Bulbasaur's body grew in size and he stood taller. His legs thickened and his bulb sprouted into a flower. Leaves extended from the base and spread open. The light died down, revealing a darker color.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur spoke in a deeper voice. Blake smiled as Ivysaur started to pull him up with his newfound strength.

Blake suddenly heard another crack. Ivysaur glanced back to see a crack beginning to form in the rock his second vine was holding onto. Before he could do anything, the rock snapped, sending Ivysaur and Blake pummeling down the canyonside again.

Blake grabbed onto Ivysaur and held him close to his chest out of instinct as they fell. Blake looked down and saw the desert ground closing in fast, closed his eyes and braced.

He suddenly felt another whiplash as the fall was momentarily slowed before the two hit the ground with Blake flat on his back and Ivysaur in his arms on his chest. Ivysaur had slowed their fall with a Vine Whip, possibly saving bother their lives.

Blake smiled up at him. "Thanks."

"Ivysaur." Ivysaur nodded. Neither moved. Blake reached his hand up and wiped some of the sap oozing from Ivysaur's head away from his big red eyes. Ivysaur smiled too and rested his head down on Blake's chest.

The two laid there like that for a while, unmoving, while both recuperated. The adrenaline, fear, and shock left Blake's system and Ivysaur's head wound slowly stopped oozing.

Blake gently pushed Ivysaur off of him and stood up.

"Ivysaur?"

"Bulba- I mean Ivysaur- we gotta get back," Blake told it. Ivysaur stared up at him. Blake waved his hand, gesturing him to follow. "Come on, let's get your head checked out at a Pokemon Center."

Ivysaur smiled and said his name, again not understanding what the human was saying but now willing to follow him anywhere. And with that, the two started their long walk across the desert and back to the forest Ivysaur called home.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I remember having a hard time writing this back when I wrote it. It was (possibly) the first time I wrote something where the environment was important to what was happening.

I wrote a Naruto oneshot called _Dreaming is a Universal Language._ If you're interested, check it out.


	4. Winning Days

Blake crossed through the desert and made it back to the forest with the Ivysaur following him. Ivysaur was trotting happily but paused every one in a while to wince from the wound on its head. Blake was glad it decided to follow him back. Carrying it would be a pain now that it had evolved.

"Ivy ivy saur… Ivy ivy saur…" Ivysaur sang as they entered the forest. He paused and looked around then up at Blake.

"You still worried about Team Rocket being here?" Blake asked him. Ivysaur nodded, causing Blake to again question how much English the pokemon could understand. "They're probably gone. We were away for a while. My sister probably found them and scared them off. She's a great trainer."

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur responded, seemingly satisfied, and continued to follow him again.

"We better find her before we take you to the Pokemon Center," Blake told him. "She's always looking out for me. She'll think I got kidnapped or something if she doesn't find me."

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur responded simply again, though the sound didn't really seem to have any meaning this time. Ivysaur suddenly paused again.

"Are you okay?"

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur said and pointed ahead with a vine then took off in that direction.

"Wait up!" Blake started running after him. He caught up and the two burst into a clearing where he saw his sister, Olivia, fighting Team Rocket again though this time it didn't look like she was winning.

All of the Team Rocket grunts were there and their truck was nowhere to be seen. Olivia stood facing them with only her Golem facing Pinsir, two of the Raticate and an unconscious Fearow.

"Fearow, return." The grunt recalled the fallen bird pokemon to its pokeball.

"Golem, hang in there," Olivia called. "Rock Blast!"

"Pinsir, Seismic Toss!"

"Raticate Quick Attack, Raticate Sucker Punch!"

As Golem formed the ball of rock between its hands, Pinsir ran forward and snatched it, leaving a surprised Golem holding nothing. Pinsir lifted the ball into the air and swung it around to toss it to the side.

The two Raticates rushed forward, one surrounded in dark energy and the other with a white energy, and slammed into Golem. Golem lost its footing and rolled back, unconscious.

"Golem, return." Olivia called back her pokemon but didn't send out another. She looked at the Team Rocket Grunts with fear for the first time since she and Blake had encountered them now that she had no pokemon left who could fight.

"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!" Blake yelled without thinking. Ivysaur crouched and sent a series of sharp leaves flying from those on its back that hit all three of the pokemon on the field.

"Blake?" Olivia questioned. "What are you doing?"

Blake ignored her. Ivysaur stepped forward, Growling, ready to fight for a second time.

Ivysaur surrounded itself in a white light again but it was different this time. A white ring surrounded him and an Energy Ball formed in front of its mouth. The Energy Ball hit a Raticate, knocking it out, which was soon followed by Pinsir being taken out by a Tackle.

"Woah," Blake murmured. He hadn't realized how strong the pokemon he'd found was. Ivysaur was still a wild pokemon and he wasn't crazy strong but it was pretty impressive.

"Nature Power…" Olivia whispered to herself simultaneously. "How did that thing learn Nature Power?"

Both of the Rocket Grunts recalled their fallen pokemon leaving only a Raticate for Ivysaur to face. Ivysaur glared angrily while the Raticate seemed to have a sneer on its face.

"Rati Rati Cate!" Raticate cackled.

"Ivysaur…" Ivysaur said lowly.

"Do you two know each other?" Blake asked then mentally slapped himself. He kept talking to Ivysaur like he expected an answer. Looking closer at Raticate, he saw some of the sap that had been coming out of Ivysaur's wound on Raticate's mouth. This was the Raticate responsible and Ivysaur seemed to want payback despite still having the pain from the injury.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur said, looking behind him at Blake. Blake got the message. Ivysaur wanted them to battle together.

The Raticate's trainer said something under his breath. "Super Fang!"

"Uhh, Nature Power!" Blake ordered. Raticate lunged forward as Ivysaur was surrounded by the white ring again. He sidestepped the Raticate, dodging the Super Fang, and fired the forming Energy Ball from point blank.

Raticate was thrown back by the attack but quickly got back to its feet. This one seemed to not have been as worn out as the other during its battle with Olivia.

"What are you doing?" one of the grunts hissed at the Raticate's trainer. "Quit wasting our time!"

"Once we beat this stupid thing, all the pokemon on this route are ours," he hissed back, somewhat roughly shoving him.

"Your freaking Raticate can't do squat!"

"It left that big gash on its head pretty easily. I can beat it no prob."

"Ivysaur, Vine Whip!" Blake called while the other trainer was distracted. Ivysaur extended his vines and began to whip Raticate. Raticate screeched and clawed at the vines, trying to get them away.

"Look what you made me let them do!" the grunt shouted. "Now shaddup and let me do my thing. Raticate, Bite!"

Raticate's teeth glowed, ready to clamp down on something, but Ivysaur learned from their last battle to not let those teeth get near anything important and retracted his vines.

"Razor Leaf!"

Leaves battered Raticate's front. It turned, trying to get away but it couldn't escape.

"Tackle!"

Ivysaur ran forward and rammed into Raticate before its trainer could give any orders. Raticate was knocked back a few feet onto its back. Ivysaur stopped and ducked its head in pain again.

Blake felt his heart go out to the pokemon, something that had never happened before. Using a Physical Attack like Tackle wasn't such a good idea with Ivysaur still injured. He knew Ivysaur should stop battling but unless a wild pokemon decided to help and join the fight, Ivysaur was the last bet for Blake, Olivia and the rest of the pokemon on the route.

Raticate had made it to his feet and was lunging at Ivysaur again.

"Defend yourself with Vine Whip!" Blake called. Not even lifting his head yet, Ivysaur lashed out with a vine, knocking Raticate away. Raticate fell onto its back again. Ivysaur shook away the pain in his head and looked up to glare at his opponent.

Raticate got back up and stood on all fours, too tired to stand on two legs.

"Raticate, Dig!" the grunt yelled. Raticate began to furiously claw at the ground, burrowing a tunnel downward.

"Watch for any movement!" Olivia called, trying to help in the slightest way possible. She wanted to be the one battling, her brother had no experience and his first battle shouldn't be so high stakes but she knew he and what she assumed had evolved from the Bulbasaur she'd sent him after were the only things that could beat Team Rocket now.

Both Blake and Ivysaur tried to look out for Raticate to no avail. The pokemon resurfaced under Ivysaur and slammed into him from below. Ivysaur was knocked back towards Blake and landed on his back.

Blake ran up to him and crouched down to flip him back to his feet. "Come on, you can do this. He's gotta be exhausted by now."

Ivysaur used Growl as he walked back towards the fight. Raticate sneered again, having regained confidence after that last hit. Ivysaur ran forward, ready to Tackle it. Raticate leaped to the side, dodging. Ivysaur extended a vine and grabbed its tail. Raticate was suspended upside down in the air. Raticate's eyes widened, finally scared, and began struggling.

"Razor Leaf!"

Ivysaur tossed Raticate into the air and released another storm of leaves from his back. When Raticate fell to the ground, it was unconscious surrounded by leaves.

Blake dropped to his knees and exhaled, realizing he'd been practically holding his breath for the entire fight. Ivysaur ran up to him and pressed his head against him happily. Blake stood up, seeing some of the liquid coming out of Ivysaur's wound on his shirt, remembering he had to get the pokemon to the Pokemon Center.

"Blake!" Olivia ran up to him and hugged him. In the background, Blake heard the Rocket Grunts fleeing and bickering in the progress but he ignored it and hugged his sister back.

"I'm fine," he said. "Don't ask."

She released him. "Right. I-"

"We gotta get Ivysaur to a Pokemon Center," he told her, finally saying what he'd been focused for a good part of the day out loud. "He's got a pretty bad wound."

Olivia looked down at Ivysaur who was lying down again, resting his head on his stumpy legs, with sap oozing from his wound onto his face and the ground. Ivysaur closed his eyes and groaned.

"Righ," she said, regaining composure. "Grab him and get him to my motorcycle."

It didn't take long to get to the Pokemon Center. When they got there, the Chansey and the Nurse Joy there immediately took Ivysaur to the back and told Blake and Olivia to wait outside. Apparently his wound was pretty bad.

Olivia left and went back to the forest to check on some of the other pokemon. When she returned, she brought a few other pokemon who needed care and gave them to the Chansey before joining Blake in the waiting room.

There was a row of chairs against a wall. She plopped down in one next to Blake. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"You remember that crazy strong Nidoking?"

"Of course. He was in the truck. I untied him."

Olivia held up a pokeball.

"No way."

"Yes way," she said happily. "I caught it."

"Great job," he said before looking back in the direction where Ivysaur was.

"Great job to you too," she said, trying to distract him. "You won your first pokemon battle. And it was against Team Rocket. That's crazy."

"I know."

"I'm surprised you jumped into a battle like that," she raved excitedly. "And with a pokemon you don't know. That's so unlike you."

"I know," he repeated. "But I shouldn't have. Ivysaur was injured and he isn't my pokemon."

"You reacted on instinct," she told him. "Like a trainer."

"Right," he said with slight sarcasm. She always said that to try and get him to do things but then always told him he wasn't a trainer when she didn't think he should do something. It was very annoying.

"I'm serious," she said, knowing what he was thinking. "You and that Ivysaur should go on a journey together."

"What?" Blake tore his gaze away from the door to where Ivysaur was and stared at his sister. "You're kidding, right?"

"I'm serious," she repeated. "You battled with that pokemon and it listen to you. It trusted you so quickly. You two would make great partners."

"I'll think about it."

"You'll think about it?!" she nearly shouted. "This is a one time opportunity!"

"I don't know if I want to go do the Pokemon League! And I don't even know if Ivysaur's okay, let alone if he'd be willing to become my pokemon," Blake exasperated.

"You're right," she said. "But once you know how that Ivysaur is, you go up to him and ask him to become your pokemon. You don't need to challenge the Gym Leader or go to the Indigo Plateau but you've been old enough to have a pokemon and leave home for a while now. It'll be good for you and you need to do it or you'll spend the rest of your life in a mood."

Before Blake could say anything in response to the big sister talk, she stood up and shoved an empty pokeball into his hand and walked away, leaving Blake alone.

Blake sat for hours, staring at the pokeball in his hand, thinking about what his sister had said. He did want to leave, he had for a while. The life he had in Pewter City got him down. He wanted to see other places and live out life. And he wanted to to it with Ivysaur. He didn't want tell him goodbye. Not now and maybe not ever. Not after what they did today.

"Chansey!"

His thoughts were interrupted by the nurse pokemon trying to get his attention. He looked at her. She beckoned him over. She led him through a door and into one of the medical rooms of the Pokemon Center. He saw Ivysaur lying on a bed of some sort with Nurse Joy standing beside him. Ivysaur's face lit up when he saw Blake.

"Ivy!" Ivysaur greeted.

"Hey, how are you?" Blake asked.

It was Nurse Joy who responded. "Ivysaur will be fine but the injury on its head is worrying. Do you know how it got it?"

Blake retailed what happened. "I think a Raticate bit him before he evolved."

Nurse Joy nodded. "The evolution certainly helped the wound somewhat heal. Ivysaur will likely never fully recover but it should still be able to live a normal life."

"What do you mean?" Blake asked, worried.

"It'll still be able to battle and walk and eat and it shouldn't have any issues with memory," she assured him. "Ivysaur may just be kind of uncoordinated at times and get headaches. But it will be perfectly fine. And your welcome to take him now."

Not lingering any longer than needed, Nurse Joy and Chansey left the room, leaving Blake and Ivysaur alone. Ivysaur moved closer on his bed to where Blake stood.

"How are you?" Blake asked again.

"Ivy..." Ivysaur smiled. Blake pulled up a chair and sat next to him.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Ivy?" Ivysaur cocked his head and looked at him. Blake drew the pokeball. Ivysaur smiled again and nodded before Blake could say anything.

"Does that mean you'll be my pokemon?"

Ivysaur nodded again. Blake held the pokeball up to him. Ivysaur leaned forward and tapped the button. A red light shot out and sucked him in. The pokeball shook three times then let out a sound signifying capture.

Blake stared at the pokeball in his hand. He'd caught his first pokemon. Standing up, he got up and walked out of the Pokemon Center. He tossed the pokeball into the air and his new friend appeared at his side. And with that, the two began their journey.


	5. Autumn Shade

Laughter. A sound simple and taken for granted until it is gone. Then it returns and the world seems to be filled with a new light. Hard times are gone and a sense of appreciativeness for everything arises.

Blake laughed out of joy as he raced through the trees with Ivysaur bounding after him. They hadn't traveled for long but they'd made it far from each of their homes. Blake's home in Pewter City and the nearby land where Ivysaur had lived were distant in both of their minds as they began to see more of the world.

They were in a different forest, this one far different from the one Ivysaur lived in. Trees were scattered about, like any other forest, but orange leaves had fallen and coated the forest floor. The sound of a dry leaf being crushed filled Blake's ears each time one of his or Ivysaur's feet came down. It filled him with a happy feeling that made him want to keep running forever.

But the carefree, childish run soon came to an end and Blake slowed to a walk. Ivysaur caught up and trotted behind him, breathing hard but not quite exhausted. Deciding it was time to stop, Blake approached a tree and crouched down to sit at its base. He smiled and gazed into the forest. Ivysaur extended a vine from his back and brushed some of the leaves away before plopping down next to him.

This, Blake decided, was the greatest decision of his life. Leaving home, befriending a pokemon, going on a journey. It was amazing. And judging by Ivysaur's happy expression, Ivysaur agreed.

Blake had lived his entire life in the city. Dull buildings, rows of houses, plants aligned in an unnatural way. The routine of the day: wake up, work or go to school, come home, go to sleep, do it all over again. See the same people, go to the same places, eat the same thing, see the same sights. The same thing over and over, every day. It drove him crazy and bored him out of his mind.

There were many reasons he was glad he'd left. Only one was to break free from the repetition of life in the city.

He realized he didn't like it much. He had always loved the outdoors but he never realized how much or why. Sitting there, in the forest, in the moment here and now, he finally realized why. The colors.

He'd never paid attention to them. He always looked at the things. Trees, rocks, buildings. People even, though there were none around. Looking at the colors, into the colors, he found a new appreciation for everything around him. Colors were what made everything feel alive. Something small and unimportant that just made life worth living in an uncomprehensible way.

The forest was beautiful. This forest specifically he felt was different than any other. It had the colors that seasonal change brought but it was nowhere near that time of year. The trees still had leaves but many had fallen. Right now, they had a unique orange that filled the forest with a soft glow.

The sun was high. Blake looked up, not staring at it, and watched how its rays of light shone into the forest. The leaves, both fallen and still attached, glowed with that reddish yellow color associated with fall.

The wind was not cold. It blew leaves through the forest. Looking down at his pokemon, Blake watched Ivysaur's eyes follow the leaves' trail as they flew through the air and deeper into the distance. They seemed to have a path, none slapped against the trees. They swirled and spun, avoiding anything that might stop them from flying.

"It's beautiful here," Blake murmured, leaning back against the tree's trunk so the shadow of the crown protected his eyes from the sun.

"Ivy," Ivysaur agreed and pressed his head against the side of Blake's thigh. The two sat like that for a while, Ivysaur watching the leaves dance and Blake watching the colors. But all good things must end. The tranquility was interrupted when Blake saw something in his peripheral vision.

"Ivy?"

"You saw that too?" Blake asked getting to his feet. Ivysaur rose as well and followed him as Blake circled around the tree, looking around. "What was that?"

"Ivy!" Ivysaur shouted as he felt something rush past him. Blake turned around and didn't see anything. The leaves on the ground were disrupted and were tossed into the air. Something had to have unsettle them. Something was there. Was it a pokemon? Was it something else? It had to be a pokemon, there was nothing else that could move like that.

Blake shivered but it wasn't cold. He knew he wasn't exactly the bravest soul out there and there was a presence lingering around him that sent chills down his spine. Ivysaur was clearly spooked too. His red eyes darted from left to right, scanning the area for movement.

It was Blake who felt it this time. Something rushed past him. He jumped back instinctively and looked around. He saw a shadow. A dark shape seemed to hover a few feet away from him.

"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!" he ordered. Ivysaur braced and fired off the attack as fast as he could, not aiming, just hoping to hit something.

He succeeded. The shadow moved, seeming to fall, and revealed itself.

"Kekekekekeke," the shadow laughed, striking fear deep into Blake but Ivysaur stood strong and watched, unflinching as the shadow began to take form. The dark cloud solidified and extended until spikes jutted out of it and clawed hands floated in front of a mouth full of jagged teeth. "Haunter!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Honestly, I almost just straight up forgot to update this story today.

I've got a new story. Well, another old story. I wrote it in 2016 so it's not the best but check it out if you're interested. It's called Sycamore. It's a pokemon story about Professor Sycamore's Pokemon Journey.


	6. Autumn Shade II

"Haunter!" The shadow lost its shapelessness and a pokemon of some sorts took its place. Blake stared at it, trying to remember if he'd seen one before.

The pokemon was hovering. It was a strange creature. It was a light purple in color and resembled a spiked head with two floating, detached, clawed hands. Clearly a Ghost Type, if that had not been obvious from its lurking.

Blake knew it was a Haunter and he knew he had never seen one. Ghosts and Dragons were rarities in the Kanto region but Ghosts were slightly more common. The only time he'd seen either was when he saw the Champion and Elite Four on TV. The pokemon weren't common enough for someone to use a full team of them but there were some who claimed to specialize in training them. The Champion, Lance, used many Flying Type Pokemon but his most famous pokemon was a powerful Dragonite. Agatha was a member of the Elite Four and she favored Poison Types but she had a Gengar strong enough to defeat nearly any pokemon in the region. Blake knew Haunter evolves into Gengar but at the moment he was starting to doubt that.

While Blake was trying to remember where he'd seen it, Haunter had lowered and stood face to face with Ivysaur. Haunter grinned and laughed. It circled Ivysaur a few times before sticking both hands in its own mouth to let its tongue flap around. Ivysaur merely eyed Haunter, observing its actions but not reacting. There was no way this goofy pokemon could become the feared Ghost Type used by an Elite. Not in a million years.

Blake stared at it a bit more as he made up his mind. "Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!"

Haunter's antics were stopped as it was knocked to the ground. It phased through it and resurfaced with a confused expression. Blake drew a pokeball. "Haunter are rare. You can't find them very easily. We're gonna try and catch it, okay Ivysaur?"

"Saur!" Ivysaur said. Haunter regained its composure and circled around again, this time stopping so it faced Ivysaur. It seemed to know what was happening and it accepted the challenge.

"Haun!" Haunter flipped upside down and grinned, pulling its mouth back and sticking its tongue out again, before flipping back and waving its hands in a gesture for Ivysaur to attack.

Blake was surprised to see a pokemon have such human motions but he wouldn't pass the opportunity to attack first. He and Ivysaur had been in a few battles since their first. They didn't exactly have a win streak but they'd learned some stuff.

"Razor Leaf!" Blake called. Ivysaur let out another gust of sharp leaves from its back. Haunter was prepared for that this time. It ducked down and phased into the ground only to resurface when the attack was finished. Not losing any momentum, Haunter rushed forward and boxed Ivysaur with a Shadow Punch.

Ivysaur was knocked back slightly but slid rather than tumbled. He was a very sturdy pokemon, it would take a lot more to knock him down.

"Nature Power!" Blake ordered. Haunter didn't have time to move this time and was nailed with an Energy Ball thanks to the forest they still stood in. Blake kind of expected Nature Power's affect to change, with all the different colors and lack of greenery, but a forest was still a forest no matter how different it looked.

Haunter shook off the attack. Blake knew how type match ups worked but he grew up not particularly interested in pokemon so he didn't know a lot of pokemon species's typings. He should've known Haunter was a Poison Type, afterall, the only reason he knew what it was called was because he recognized it was a pokemon used by a Poison Type Pokemon user.

"Ivysaur…!" Blake trailed off. Ivysaur mostly only knew Grass Type moves. There wasn't really anything different he could do. "... use Razor Leaf."

Leaves flew at Haunter, who swatted them away with swift motions of its hands.

"Haunt haunt haunt!" Haunter cackled and formed a ball off dark energy between its hands. A mist-like power seemed to flow off of it like smoke. Shifting the attack to one hand, Haunter threw the Hex at Ivysaur like a baseball.

Ivysaur crouched and tottered a bit, his eyes drifting from the battle a bit, gazing at the surrounding trees and falling leaves. Ivysaur's plant gave off a flash of pink as the Hex hit. Ivysaur stood, unaffected for the most part.

"Since when do you know Amnesia…" Blake murmured but was grateful for the Special Defense boost. They didn't have to worry about the Hexes as much now. Ivysaur did seem a bit less focused now but the Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Center where Blake had caught Ivysaur had said Ivysaur's injury may have an effect like this. Learning a move from injury didn't make much sense but he couldn't think of another explanation.

Haunter glared at Ivysaur in annoyance. It had just learned how to use Hex and wanted to get some use out of it but it didn't seem like that was happening in this battle. Haunter lolled its tongue out and flew forward.

"Ivy!" Ivysaur cried out in disgust from the Lick. He shivered as Haunter ran its tongue over his body. Gross. Ivysaur extended his vines and began to slap Haunter, trying to get it away.

Haunter backed up and charged up another Hex. Ivysaur used Vine Whip to knock it away before it could hit him and used Razor Leaf. Haunter was knocked back, not expecting the attack, and fell to the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, Blake flung the pokeball he was holding. It hit Haunter, bounced off, and enveloped the pokemon in a red light. It sat on the ground, resting on top of a few of the leaves that were not blown away from the battle. The pokeball shook once, twice…

"Haunt!" Haunter emerged from the ball. It grabbed the ball off the ground in one hand and hurled it back at Blake who caught it. He paused for a moment and stared at it in his hand. Haunter had a good arm, or hand, for a pokemon but Blake was more confused by its behavior. For a pokemon, it acted very human-like.

"Nature Power!" Blake said. Ivysaur surrounded himself in a white ring then charged up an Energy Ball. Haunter weaved around it and dodged with ease then rushed forward to land a series of Shadow Punches but retreated back quickly enough to avoid getting Vine Whipped.

"Razor Leaf!"

Haunter couldn't dodge those very easily. The assault of leaves battered away at its face, causing it to put up its hands defensively.

"Tackle!" Blake ordered. Ivysaur ran forward, leaped, and passed right through the pokemon. "Vine Whip!"

Still mid-jump, Ivysaur's vines wrapped around the main part of Haunter's mass and used the momentum from the failed Tackle to slam Haunter into the ground. Surprised, Haunter didn't pass through it and hit the ground head on.

Blake tossed another pokeball. Haunter was sucked in again. The ball shook; once, twice, three times and gave off a sound to signify capture.

Ivysaur walked up to it. Blake picked up the ball and let Haunter out. Haunter looked around confused then its gaze zeroed in on Blake and Ivysaur. Blake smiled and put a hand out. Ivysaur reached a vine up and did the same.

"Hi. I'm Blake and this is Ivysaur." Blake introduced. "I'm a trainer but I'm not doing the Pokemon League, we're just traveling. Seeing what's out there. It'd be great if you'd join us."

Haunter stared at the two for a moment before smiling and letting out another laugh. He extended his two hands as well and shook the offered human hand and pokemon vine.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the late update. I had a long week.


	7. Factory

With their new friend in tow, Blake and Ivysaur made there way through the forest. It was much larger than the one by Pewter, the one where Ivysaur was from, and Blake estimated it would take a few days to get through. He didn't mind though, he wasn't in any hurry. But it seemed Haunter was.

"Haunt haunt haunt!" Haunter cackled, floating ahead of Blake and Ivysaur then floating back as if trying to get them to hurry up.

"Ivy," Ivysaur said.

"Haunter, haunt haunt err…" Haunter responded, floating down to speak to Ivysaur at eye level then flew back up to look at Blake. "Haunt!"

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Blake asked. "It's beautiful here."

It truly was, the orange leaves that covered the treetops and forest floor seemed to glow until the sun went down. It gave the place this light and a sense of tranquility. Both Blake and Ivysaur liked the change in scenery and wanted to remain for a while.

Haunter didn't seem to appreciate it like they did. Haunter backed away from him and signaled them to stop. Blake and Ivysaur paused and stared at their companion in question.

Haunter backed up and began miming something out.

"Haunter, you know I can't understand anything you're saying when you do that…" Blake said but Haunter hushed him and continued anyway. The miming was mostly based around gesticulations, very difficult to follow, let alone get a message from.

Haunter pointed to himself then Blake. Separating a hand from himself, he lay it on Blake's chest and formed a Shadow Claw. Blake backed up slightly. He was confident Haunter wasn't going to attack him but he didn't like being that close to something that could seriously injure him if he touched it ever so slightly in the wrong way.

Haunter retracted his hand and clawed at his own face, not actually attacking himself but that seemed to be the message. "Haunt!"

Haunter pointed at the ground then waved his hands around in a gesture to the entire forest. He waved his hands around then stuck them in his mouth and pulled his mouth open wind. He stopped and stared at his trainer.

"Okay, I didn't understand any of that," Blake said and continued walking.

"Ivy…" Ivysaur agreed. Haunter gave them an almost bored look with drooped eyes and sighed and began to follow them in a dull flight. It didn't last long. His eyes widened again and he flew in front of the group.

"Haunt haunt haunt!" Haunter said loudly pointing into the distance.

"Pretending something there isn't going to get us to go any faster," Blake said. "Just relax and join the walk. You can go back in your ball if you don't want to be out."

Haunter stuck his tongue out and spat like a child. As Blake had realized when they first encountered him, Haunter had very human-like behavior. He spat like he did just now to show distaste. He grinned and gave a thumbs up to show agreement. He tried to make him and Ivysaur laugh. It kind of freaked him out at first but Blake was starting to like having him around.

Haunter waved his hand, gesturing them to follow. When they didn't go any faster, he extended his hands out from his mass and grabbed Blake's shoulders, surprising him, and began to pull him behind him.

"Woah!" Blake tried to regain some control but Haunter was pulling him along with too much force to free himself. Ivysaur began running to keep up.

They didn't go far. Haunter stopped suddenly and let go of Blake. Blake found himself tumbling down a hill, keeping the momentum from Haunter's ride. He put his arms around his head as he rolled roughly down the slope, trying to protect his head from hitting any of the roots sticking out of the ground.

He eventually came to a stop a few feet from the bottom of the hill. He sat up and inspected himself for scrapes, finding none. Ivysaur trotted up to him trailed by Haunter.

"Thanks a lot…" Blake mumbled with sarcasm. "Why did you-?!"

"Haunt!"

"Ivy!"

Both interrupted him, pointing ahead with a detratech hand and a vine respectively. Blake looked up, seeing that they were in a clearing. A hill bordered one side while the same trees that filled the forest bordered the other. But it was what was in the clearing that mattered.

A large grey structure sat before him. He didn't recognize it but then again he'd never been here. "Did you know this was here?"

Haunter shook his head no. He wore a concerned expression, one that had not seen yet.

"Is there something wrong?"

Haunter nodded.

"What?"

Haunter put his hand to the side of his head and cupped it.

"You hear something?"

Haunter nodded.

Blake looked past him and saw Ivysaur wandering up to the building. It was huge, he was surprised they hadn't seen it earlier but he wasn't really paying attention.

Ivysaur got up on his hind legs and put his front two against the building. He reached up with his vines and began feeling around. Blake and Haunter walked to his side.

"Are you trying to get in?" Blake asked, feeling his inner-child-caution arising. The encounter with Team Rocket had shocked a lot of his old ways out of him but he still didn't feel brave enough to enter a strange building in the middle of nowhere.

"Ivy," Ivysaur said, saying yes. One of his vines hit a vent high up on the building, knocking it off. Blake jumped to the side to avoid getting hit by it. Ivysaur turned around to look up at his trainer and offered his vines.

"Oh, fine."

Ivysaur wrapped his vines around Blake's waist and lifted him up into the air to the vent. Blake put his hands around the opening and leaned forward to peer in.

"The ground's not far down, same distance down on the inside than it looks on the outside," Blake called back. "Do you think you have enough slack to get me in there?"

"Saur," Ivysaur responded, his voice giving no indication that told him yes or no. Blake was lifted higher so he could begin to get his body through the opening.

With some difficulty, he managed to get his body in and Ivysaur was able to lower him part of the way and dropped him the rest. He landed crouched and put his hands on the ground for balance before rising and standing.

He turned around and looked back up at the vent. He saw Ivysaur's vines grip at the sides and tense as the pokemon pulled himself up. Ivysaur hooked his front legs on the hole and began to shimmy the rest of him through. He dropped down and into Blake's arms.

"You're too heavy to be doing that…" Blake grunted as he put him down on the ground. Ivysaur smirked. He wasn't that heavy, Blake was just kinda on the weaker side. Haunter phased directly through the wall and waited next to them.

"Okay, clearly we didn't think this through," Blake said looking around. The building looked very similar on the outside as the inside. They stood in a hallway with other halls leading off of it. Everything was lined with this shiny, metallic material: the ceiling, the floor, the walls. Blake saw no doors though. The only way in was through that vent. There was probably a door somewhere, no one would build a building without a door.

As he was looking around, Ivysaur began making his way towards another pathway and Haunter flew into a wall and disappeared.

"Wait up." Blake ran around, not going very far down each of the halls, trying to see where Haunter had gone but didn't see anything. He ran back to where Ivysaur was and fell in stop behind him. Haunter was smart, he'd be able to find his way back and besides, Ivysaur was more his speed.

"How are you doing, buddy?" Blake asked, knowing Ivysaur couldn't talk back but the silence was creeping him out.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur said. Blake had no idea if he understood him or not.

"How's your head?" Blake asked. Ivysaur's injury hadn't oozed any of that gross plant liquid in a while. Hopefully it was healing.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur repeated in the same monotone voice. Blake was starting to get the feeling that that tone meant he had no idea what he was saying. The slow conversation was soon interrupted.

"Haunter!" Blake heard up ahead, followed by a loud buzzing. Blake and Ivysaur picked up the pace and began running, trying to find Haunter, but these halls were like a labyrinth. Well, not that intense but they didn't really know where they were going.

They eventually made it to one back to the hall they'd started in and found Haunter hurling a Hex at another pokemon.

"Magnetonnnnn!" the pokemon hummed as the attack hit. It was knocked back and hit the ground but rose. The pokemon had three silver, metallic spheres as a body, almost the same color as the hallway but a bit lighter, and a horseshoe magnet coming off from each one. Electricity sparked from all three and the pokemon glared.

"Haunter, Night Shade!" Blake ordered, sensing it was about to attack again. Haunter's eyes widened and a streak of shadows shot out from them. Magneton was hit before it could get off the attack. The unused electricity flew off and sparks hit the ground. Magneton fell on its back, this time it didn't rise.

Blake, Haunter, and Ivysaur stared a moment, heads cocked in confusion. That battle was quick. Blake walked up and crouched next to the pokemon. Magneton stared up at him with tired eyes. The metal was dented and scraped in places and Magneton seemed awfully tired. Blake touched one of the magnets and felt no static running through it.

"You were hurt…" Blake mused and pulled out a Potion. Holding up the medicine, he sprayed it on Magneton's injuries until the bottle was empty.

Magneton's eyes widened to full consciousness and rose upright. Haunter and Ivysaur braced in case it attacked but Blake didn't shared their fear. He put out a hand and rubbed Magneton on the head like he would a Growlithe.

"Hey, you okay now?" Blake asked.

"Magneeetoonnnn…" Magneton droned but seemed to have a happy tone. To Blake's surprise, this pokemon showed more emotion in its voice than Ivysaur usually did. Magneton rose up and floated around in a small circle, showing Blake that it felt better then pressed against him in thanks.

Blake smiled. "You're welcome."

Haunter and Ivysaur relax and approached. The three circled each other, getting an impression of each other, exchanging a few words and seemed to decide they the other was alright.

Blake rose from his crouched position and gently touched Magneton to look him over. The Potion definitely rejuvenated him but didn't seem to do much else. Magneton was still dented and scraped and didn't seem to have a lot of energy.

"What's the matter with you?" Blake mumbled, more to himself than any of the present pokemon. He rubbed Magneton and turned to walk away.

"Ton!" Magneton rushed around and got in front of Blake. It leaned against him again, pushing him back. Blake stopped and watched Magneton float off then rush back.

"You want us to follow you?" Blake asked, recognizing the gesture. Some of his sister's pokemon did the same thing. Magneton nodded and began to lead them deeper into the complex.

* * *

**Author's Note:** On some of my other stories, specifically Broken Nature and House Rules, I put some stuff in the AN about new stories. If you're interested in Legends of Tomorrow or Warriors cats, check them out. I've got a few ideas for some new pokemon stories so there'll probably be something new soon.


	8. Animal Machine

Blake, Ivysaur, and Haunter followed the Magneton through the halls of the strange metal building they'd found earlier. The building was massive but Blake felt they'd walked more than could be possible within the boundaries of the walls and began to question if the Magneton had an actual destination or was actually just leading them in circles.

Ivysaur and Haunter didn't seem to share his concern. Ivysaur wore the same content expression that he always he had when walking behind his trainer ever since the two had started on their journey. Haunter, who was very easily amused, looked down the hallways excitedly and watched Magneton with interest. Usually Blake had to keep an eye on him to keep him from flying off but Haunter didn't seem to have any intention of doing that right now.

"Magnetonnnn…" Magneton droned and sped up. Haunter followed close while Blake and Ivysaur had to increase their pace to a jog. Magneton turned around a corner and stopped. There was a door, the first one they'd seen so far. Magneton approached it and stopped to turn around and look at Blake.

"You want us to go in?" Blake asked. Magneton nodded. Blake looked at the door nervously. As he was constantly reminded, he wasn't exactly the strongest or bravest person and he hadn't been a trainer long enough to learn those skills. He was filled with doubt, not really wanting to continue, but knew he had to. Even if he had the heart to just walk away, there was no way he could find his way back. "Haunter, can you get the door open?"

"Haun!" Haunter saluted. Blake didn't know if he was doing it mockingly or not. He had a lot of trouble understanding understanding him. Haunter's human-like behavior made his actions a lot more confusing.

Haunter separated his hand from his body and let it pass through the door. Haunter's face momentarily showed his concentration as his hand tried to open the door from the other side. Haunter's face returned to its usual look and the door slid open electronically.

Magneton entered first, followed by Haunter, then Ivysaur and finally Blake. Blake looked around and tried to figure out what Haunter had done and spotted a smashed keypad.

"You better hope no one is here," Blake told Haunter, "or we might be in some trouble."

Haunter let out one of the laughs his species was known for and continued to follow Magneton.

Gone was the maze of single colored hall. They began to descend down a spiraled flight of the stairs, though it was the same light grey metallic color as the hallway above. Blake was surprised there was a downstairs, he didn't think anyone would build anything out here so far from a city, let alone such a large complex.

The stairway came to an end and the ground leveled into a small room. A small, roughed up rug lay on the ground. It was the first thing they'd seen in here that wasn't that same color. Blake had begun to appreciate the colors when he was outside so the lack of diversity in here was starting to bother him. Actually, it started a while ago. Haunter approached the door leading downstairs, passing Magneton, as if he planned to repeat what he'd done to open the previous door but Ivysaur stepped in front of him.

"Ivysaur," he said, dipping his head. Haunter backed up and let Ivysaur use his vines to pull himself onto the panel that contained the keypad.

Ivysaur poked at some buttons with his vines. The machine made a few sounds of error. Ivysaur growled and spat on the machine. A seed embedded itself into the device. Vines sprouted from it and began to crush it. Blake blinked, surprised. He didn't know Leech Seed could be so destructive.

The door slid open leading to another surprise. Magneton moved forward, not sharing its followers' astonishment. Door lead to a very large room. Huge. They stood on a balcony. There was another on the opposite side connected by a catwalk with a thin railing for safety.

Ivysaur, Haunter, and Blake followed silently and looked around. There was nothing for the most part in the room, just a few machines against a couple of the walls, but what was surprising was the size of the room. Blake knew he shouldn't be so concentrated on that but he didn't have any idea why someone would build such a big building. Beneath the catwalk, there was a drop far down enough that even Ivysaur's vines probably wouldn't even reach the bottom. That had to have taken a long time to build.

As they made their way further down the catwalk and closer to the door on the other side, Blake began feeling strange. Not an internal feeling. It was like something was wrong with the air. Looking at his partners, Ivysaur didn't seem to notice it but Haunter suddenly shuddered like a human would if they'd been touched by a Ghost.

"You feel that?" Blake asked. Haunter nodded and lolled his tongue out but not in his usual playful way. He seemed to be in some kind of discomfort. Blake looked at him in concern and pulled out his pokeball. "Wanna go back in?"

Haunter nodded and was sucked back into his pokeball. Blake shook his head, trying to clear the feeling. It was almost like a buzzing. It made his head feel strange. It was now Ivysaur's turn to be concerned.

"I'm fine," he told him and resumed walking but as they approached the door, the feeling only became more and more present.

It was now Magneton's turn to open a door. All six of its magnets, the three horseshoe and the three round ones that contained its eyes, spread apart as Magneton tried to use its electric powers to open the door but Magneton stopped and had to regroup before it succeeded in doing so.

"Magnetooonnn…" Magneton droned disappointedly.

"Don't worry," Blake said sympathetically.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur agreed and extended his vines to begin pounding at the keypad but Magneton stopped him and began sparking with electricity again. It rushed forward and slammed into the machine.

That did the trick. The door opened now that its controller was broken. Magneton looked satisfied and hovered lower causing Blake to realize something. Magneton's electricity wasn't working well for whatever reason. There was something wrong with it. Magneton looked so tired.

Magneton lead Ivysaur and Blake through the door where the buzzing only grew more intense. Looking around, Blake saw large generators with large cables leading to glass containers sparking with yellow electricity.

Magneton suddenly darted and slammed into him, pushing Blake against the wall behind the generators.

"What are you-?" Blake started but stopped when he heard voices. Gathering Ivysaur close, he got down on his hands and knees and peered out from behind the generator.

"Team Rocket!" he whispered. Ivysaur glared but knew better not to run out of hiding. They weren't the same Rocket Grunts that had injured him but he still felt a hatred for their kind.

"... can't believe we're stuck on power duty," Blake heard them say.

"It's an important job."

"Shaddap," another grunt snapped followed by the sound of a skin against skin. He had slapped the other grunt. Blake deduced there were three grunts. "If you think it's so important, you get up to the watchover and send the power back to HQ so we get to do the fun stuff."

The grunt tasked with the job was a smaller one, skinny and young. He walked out of the room. Blake looked around for the 'watchover'. He spotted a glass panel on the opposing wall. Behind it was a room containing a bunch of technological stuff that he didn't even begin to try and think of a name for. He was worried for a moment then realized there was no way he could see them from up there with them hiding behind the generators.

The other two grunts approached one of the glass containers. One grabbed a lever while the other unplugged the cables leading from it. The yellow spark of electricity died down. Some of the buzzing sound died down too but not the feeling in the air. The air was thick with whatever it was. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the lack of light in that part of the room but Blake soon saw what was within.

"Voltorb…." the pokemon groaned. The two grunts lifted the top of the container and peered down at the pokemon. Its eyes drooped and it rolled back against the wall.

"Is that what happened to you?" Blake whispered, backing up to look at Magneton. Magneton nodded. Ivysaur looked at him sadly. Blake leaned back down to watch the grunts.

One of the grunts grabbed a pole from the corner of the room and stuck it down the container to poke at the Voltorb. Voltorb made a sound of distress but was too tired from the machine sucking up all its electricity to fight back.

"Stop that." The other grunt grabbed the pole and shoved the grunt away. He looked down at the Voltorb and gave it one last jab before backing off.

The grunt in the 'watchover' began tapping away at a computer and the other two grunts began unplugging the containers and removing the lids. Each container contained a different Electric Type pokemon: Voltorb, Magnemite, Electrode, other Magneton, even a Pikachu.

Once all the containers were unplugged and uncovered, one of the grunts bent down and inspected the pokemon. He flicked the glass of the Pikachu's container.

"Come on," he said to the grunt as he got up. "These things need some grub."

"That would explain the power outages back at HQ," the 'watchover' grunt said.

"Shaddap!" the other grunt thundered. The grunt reeled back and went back to typing. He turned to the other grunt. "I think there's some old Pokemon food in the storage room."

The two left the room in the direction they'd come from. Blake looked up and saw the only remaining grunt focused on the computer. He rose to his feet and slipped out from behind the generator.

"Magneton!" Magneton called out in alarm. Blake hushed him.

"They probably won't be back for a few minutes," Blake told him quietly. He walked up to the closest container, the one with the Voltorb. He reached in and picked it up. "We can probably get these guys out before they're back or that other grunt notices."

"Ivysaur." Ivysaur's vines reached into the containers and lifted out another Voltorb and a Magnemite. Magneton relaxed and flew into the Pikachu's container. The pokemon grabbed onto one of his magnets and Magneton lifted it out gently.

Blake went up to an Electrode. It took a bit more effort to get it out, and there was, of course, the risk of it exploding though he doubted it had the energy to do that after Team Rocket had drained it so much. Electrode voiced its thanks now that it was out of the container that had imprisoned it for so long. Blake smiled and lifted a Magnemite out.

"Hey!" Blake heard after a few minutes. Blake was so startled he almost dropped a Voltorb. He put it on the ground and looked up at the grunt who was yelling to his comrades.

"Run!" Blake yelled and made a break for the door. The Voltorbs and Electrodes had enough time to rest and they all rolled to the exit. The Pikachu scampered after them while the various Magneton and Magnemite rose and flew out after them.

Blake heard the sound of pokemon being released from pokeballs but kept running, making sure Ivysaur was close. Blake ran out of the room and past the catwalk then raced up the stairs until the was back in the maze. Voltorb and Electrode rolled in all directions, he didn't know if he should follow them.

"Haunter!" Blake tossed the pokeball and his Ghost appeared. "Phase through the walls and find us a way out of here."

Haunter gave a swift nod and disappeared. Blake and Ivysaur began running down the halls. As a turn neared, Haunter appeared and guided them to the left. This repeated a few times until they reached a door.

There was round Electrode-shaped hole in the door. Blake got on his knees and shoved Ivysaur through before he could do anything then got onto his stomach and wormed his way through after him. Now that they were out, Haunter looked at him confused, not knowing what was happening due to being in his pokeball.

Blake waved him on. "Keep running."

Haunter rushed forward, continuing to guide him as they ran into the forest. Adrenaline kept Blake running strong and Ivysaur charged as fast as his little legs could carry him. Voltorb and Electrode streamed into the forest followed by Magnemite and Magneton rising into the sky.

The three ran for a long time before they stopped. Blake collapsed into an awkward sitting position under a tree while Ivysaur flopped down onto his stomach, both breathing hard. Haunter, not out of breath due to got actually having legs to run with, circled around them protectively.

"I think we got away," Blake panted, his mind still racing as he began to realize what just happened. Haunter stayed vigilant anyway as Blake and Ivysaur regained their composure.

"Magnetonnnn…"

Blake looked around and saw a Magneton approaching them. It was the same one as before.

"Hey, you're back," Blake said tiredly.

"Magneton!"

Haunter floated up to Magneton and two began to exchange words then the both looked back at Blake.

"What?"

One of Haunter's hands made its way over to Blake and grabbed a pokeball. "Haunt."

Haunter tossed the pokeball up and down in one hand and pointed at Magneton with the other.

"You want to come with us?" Blake asked.

"Ton!" Magneton nodded. Blake got to his feet and took the pokeball from Haunter. He reached his arm out. Magneton tapped the button with his forehead.

The ball shook three times and dinged, signifying capture.

"Welcome to the team, Magneton."

* * *

**Author's Note:** There is a POLL on my profile regarding the next story I write. There is only one Pokemon option but there are some other good ones. Vote if you're interested.


	9. Don't Listen to the Radio

Blake sat in a sprawled positions on a chair in the waiting room of the Pokemon Center. He and his team had arrived in Cerulean City earlier that day and his two newly caught pokemon were being checked out by the nurses for the first time.

As expected, neither Haunter nor Magneton really appreciated it. Haunter tried to escape many, many times, to the point where Blake stopped trying to stop him. As much as he didn't want for the Pokemon Center's staff to have to deal with his pokemon's behavior, he needed a break and besides, it was their job.

Magneton was equally rebellious. He needed the care more than Haunter due to Team Rocket's treatment back at the factory but he had regained enough power to magnetically interfere with the Pokemon Center's equipment.

Blake sat back and watched Haunter's latest attempt to fly out the front door. A Chansey ran after him. She held many pieces of medical equipment and began to use Fling, hoping one of them would hit him.

"That Haunter's been trying to escape all day," a trainer in the waiting room said. "Anyone know who its trainer is?"

"No idea," Blake lied and moved seats to distance himself from the other trainers, not really wanting to partake in conversation at the moment.

"I'm really not surprised they left their pokemon here," another trainer said. He was a large man, easily as tall as a Rhydon. "That thing's crazy. Imagine being stuck with it all day. Or trying to command it in battle."

"Its behavior actually makes a lot of sense," a man in a lab coat spoke up. He'd been when Blake arrived but hadn't said anything. "I've been studying it since it got here."

The other trainers groaned and took off before the man could start talking, not really wanting to listen to the rambling of some nerd. But, it got Blake's attention.

"What do you mean?" Blake asked, moving back closer.

"It's a Ghost," the man said as if it were obvious.

"I know that," Blake responded and prepared to move away again.

The man rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed sigh. "Yes, you simpleton. But do you know what that means?"

"Yeah, it means he can escape pretty easily."

"No! Well, yes but that's not the point I'm trying to make," the man said pulling out some rectangular object from his coat pocket. "Listen to this."

"_Ghost Pokemon,_" the device beeped, surprising Blake. "_Not only is it a very powerful type due to its ability to pass through solid objects but a very rare type due to its creation._"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Blake asked.

"Don't you know what a ghost is?!"

"Yeah, it's kind of pokemon."

"But in legend?!"

"What are you talking about?"

The man let out a low scream of exasperation. "Nevermind. A lab assistant such as myself should not have to explain such simple things to a common trainer."

Blake turned away, annoyed by the man's feeling of self-superiority. Bored, he began to fiddle with the stuff in his backpack.

While he was doing this, the lab assistant did the same with his device.

"_Eevee: the evolution pokemon. Its genetic code is irregular. It may mutate if it is exposed to radiation from element stones._" the device beeped. Blake groaned silently and pulled out an extra shirt and used it to cover his ears though it did not completely muffle the sound. "_V..eon…. Ves close...long tail….with a…_"

This continued for a while and Blake started to fall asleep until something caught his attention.

"_Trainers! Cerulean Bridge Challenge begins today!_" the device spoke. "_Cerulean Gym's staff await your challenge to battle at the-"_

The man switched the speaker off and began to hit some buttons, not caring about the announcement but Blake had heard enough. He got up and stood in front in Haunter's path. Haunter stopped his attempt of escape and looked at him.

"There's some kind of battle thing at that bridge we saw earlier," Blake told him. "We've never really battled. If you tell Magneton to quit messing with machines and all of you guys get checked out, we can go over there."

Haunter's eyes lit up. He saluted and flew back excited.

Within a few minutes, a very tired looking Chansey wheeled out a cart with a content Ivysaur sitting on it followed by a smiling Haunter and a buzzing Magneton trailing closely behind.

"Chansey," Chansey sang happily but wore a tired expression.

"Thanks Chansey," Blake said. He lifted Ivysaur off the cart and set him on the ground. Haunter and Magneton circled him. Ivysaur looked up at him with anticipation.

"Yeah, we'll go in a sec," Blake told them. "Lemme just talk with Nurse Joy first."

He walked up to the counter where Nurse Joy was waiting. "These are your pokemon?"

"Ye,." Blake said. "Sorry about… everything they did."

Nurse Joy laughed. "Don't worry about it. We're glad to see so such happy pokemon. So many trainers discipline their pokemon so harshly…."

"So are we good to go?" Blake asked.

"In a moment," Nurse Joy said. "I presume you're aware of Ivysaur's injury?"

"Yes, is there something wrong?" Blake asked, worried.

"No, my sister at the Pewter Pokemon Center told me about it and it seems Ivysaur is fine," she said. Blake relaxed. "You didn't have any other pokemon at the time so did you catch Magneton between Pewter and here?"

"Yeah, why?" Blake asked.

"Well, something about it seemed kind of off," she said. "It's fine now but I'd like to know what might've happened."

Blake described what he'd seen at the factory. Nurse Joy became concerned.

"Oh my. That's horrible," Nurse Joy said. "Have you reported it to Officer Jenny?"

"Um, no." Blake hadn't thought of that. "I guess I should go do that…"

All three of his pokemon let out sounds of protest.

"It's Team Rocket, guys," he said. "I have to report it or they'll keep doing the same stuff they did to Ivysaur and Magneton to other pokemon."

They all hushed but didn't seem thrilled about it.

"If you have somewhere to be, you can just fill out a form here," Nurse Joy said, reaching under her desk and pulling out a form.

"Thank you," Blake said and reached for a pen but Haunter beat him to it. He quickly began to fill out the form scaring the daylights out of Blake. Even Nurse Joy didn't expect a pokemon to be able to write. Haunter handed it to Blake. He read over it and handed it back to Nurse Joy. "Everything he wrote is correct."

Nurse Joy was still shocked but managed to speak. "Well then you can be on your way."

The four of them made their way out of the Pokemon Center with Blake trying to forget what he just saw. Haunter was a curiosity.

They eventually made it to the bridge. Trainers gathered at the foot, battling each other to decide who got to battle the first Gym Trainers. They were all too caught up in battle to notice Blake merely slip by them and approach one of the trainers who were supposed to be the actual opponents.

A Bug Trainer stood before him. "Do you think you have what it takes to make it all the way to the end and claim the reward before any of the other trainers gathered?"

"Are you kidding? They're never even going to make it to the start of the bridge," Blake said only half joking, covering up his lack of confidence. He hadn't battled much.

"Well then, battle begin!" the Bug Catcher called.

The first four battles passed quickly and Blake was soon at the end of the bridge. He had really lucked out on catching the pokemon he did. All three of his pokemon had evolved once before they'd been caught.

"Hey there," said the man at the end of the bridge. He was different from the other trainers on the bridge. He seemed out of place. He was Blake's age but taller. He had lighter hair than Blake but dressed similarly. "The name's Max."

"Hey," Blake greeted.

"You ready to battle?" Max asked. "I warn you, I'm good. I'm not one of the Gym Trainers."

"I'm ready," Blake said and released Haunter from its pokeball.

"Alrighty then." Max tossed a pokeball.

"Golduck!" his pokemon shouted.

"Haunter, Hypnosis!" Blake called.

"Screech, Aquajet!" Max countered. Golduck opened its beak and let out a harsh sound before Haunter could prepare the attack.

"Haunt!" Haunter cried out. His hands went to the sides of his head and he shut his eyes tight. Golduck surrounded itself with a field of water and shot through the air towards him.

"Haunter, Shadow Punch!"

Haunter's hands left his sides and struck out in front of him, hitting the oncoming attack before it reached him. Golduck fell out of the air and spun gracefully to land on his feet.

"Confusion!" Max ordered. Golduck struck and off pose as he landed and glowed with psychic power. Haunter cried out again as he felt the energy surround him.

"Haunter, Spite!" Blake yelled. Haunter eyed Golduck and hurled some nasty words at him. Golduck stood upright and ended the Confusion. He crouched and glared.

"Water Gun!" Max commanded. Golduck opened its mouth again and let out a high-powered stream of water. Haunter weaved around it and flew at him.

"Shadow Claw!"

Haunter's hand enlarged and his claws elongated with ghostly power. The hand shot forward and cuffed Golduck over the head. Golduck fell down but swiped back at him with his own claws.

"Haunt haunt haunt!" Haunter laughed as the claws passed through him. Golduck started a moment and blinked, confused.

"Water Gun!" Max wasted no time. Golduck fired a Water Gun straight up at Haunter knocking him from his position hovering above Golduck and onto the ground where the battle was being held behind the bridge. "Confusion!"

Golduck got up to his feet and did the strange pose again, his eyes glowing with psychic. Haunter was pinned down against the bridge.

"Haunter!" Blake called out as Haunter cried out. Haunter's cry didn't last long as he was soon unconscious. "Haunter, return."

Haunter was recalled to his pokeball. Blake stared at it a moment before drawing another. "Go Magneton!"

"Tonn!" Magneton droned. He and Golduck stared at each other.

"Magneton, Thundershock!" Blake took the first move. Magneton sparked. A streak of electricity shot out at Golduck.

"Golduck, dodge that!" Max ordered. Golduck used its powerful legs to leap to the side but Magneton tilted and redirected his attack.

"Duck!" Golduck cried out. He was knocked back but wasn't defeated. Yet.

"Supersonic!" Blake instructed. Magneton spun as he created the sonic waves. They filled the battlefield. Golduck looked around, trying to find a way to avoid them but couldn't escape the sound. Golduck tried to cover his ears which soon lead to him clawing at his own face.

"Golduck, try and fight through it!" Max called. Golduck didn't seem to hear him. Golduck ran back towards the bridge and began banging his head against the railing.

"Thundershock!" Blake finished. Magneton charged another bolt of electricity, careful not to overdo it though. Golduck fell over, unconscious.

"Golduck, return." Max withdrew his pokemon. He pulled out another pokeball. "Go Hitmonlee!"

Hitmonlee appeared silently before his trainer. He flexed his arms a bit and bounced around from foot to foot showing off his powerful legs.

"High Jump Kick!" Max said, starting off strong. Hitmonlee sprang into the air then pummeled towards the ground with one leg aimed at Magneton.

"Magneton, dodge that!" Blake ordered. Magneton moved slightly to the side. Blake watched Hitmonlee fly past Magneton, expecting him to crash, but Hitmonlee sailed right over the side of the bridge.

Blake turned around confused, trying to see where Hitmonlee had gone. Hitmonlee shot up from under the bridge and back onto the land. He shook himself, sending water flying everywhere. The water below the bridge had broken his fall.

"Nice move," Blake murmured. He shook his head, trying to focus again. "Magneton, Magnet Bomb!"

"Hitmonlee, kick that away," Max countered. Hitmonlee did just that. When the metallic ball flew at him, his foot shot out and swiftly kicked it away sending it into the cliffside. Hitmonlee ran forward and jumped up into the air, using Mega Kick. Magneton didn't have time to react and was kicked to the ground.

Before Hitmonlee could attack again, the sound of a Supersonic filled the air. Hitmonlee backed away from Magneton, wobbling. Magneton rose.

"You can tell your pokemon to stop that now," Max called as he covered his ears.

"It's not Magneton," Blake responded. Magneton flew unsteadily towards Hitmonlee and the two began smashing their heads against each other.

Blake and Max looked around, trying to find the source of the Supersonic. A Zubat was dangling upside down from the branch of a nearby tree with its mouth open, screeching like there was no tomorrow.

"Hitmonlee, Mega Kick that Zubat!" Max ordered.

"Magneton, Thundershock!" Blake said.

Each pokemon powered up their attack but instead of targeting the Zubat, they targeted each other. Hitmonlee brought his flaming leg down of Magneton and electricity flowed off of Magneton, hurting Hitmonlee.

"Magneton, return," Blake recalled his pokemon, knowing Magneton wouldn't be able to continue to fight if he was confused after defeating Golduck and taking super-effective hits from a Hitmonlee.

"Hitmonlee, return." Max recalled his pokemon too. "Charmeleon, come out!"

"Go Ivysaur!" Blake tossed his pokeball. Ivysaur stood on the field side-by-side with Max's Charmeleon. All four of them, trainers and pokemon, glared at the Zubat. The Zubat seemed to realize it was outmatched and flew down the hillside of Cerulean Cape.

"Well, do-?" Max started but was cut off by a scream. Max and Blake ran to the hillside to see what was happening. On the other side of the river flowing through the Cape, a rocky platform sat and on top of it, two humans were deep in a fist-fight. The Zubat was flying over the water over to the humans. It slammed into one of them, knocking them to the ground.

The second human released a pokemon, an Ekans, which slithered up the other human. He screamed and struggled against the Ekans.

Max didn't hesitate. He released another pokemon, a Tauros. "Tauros, get me an' Charmeleon over there."

Max picked up Charmeleon and climbed onto Tauros's back. Tauros charged down the hillside and waded in the water. He began swimming at a surprisingly fast speed to the rocky platform.

"Ivysaur, we gotta go too," Blake told his partner. "That guy needs help."

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur agreed. Blake and Ivysaur slid down the grassy hillside to the water's edge. Ivysaur extended one of his vines into the water and felt for the bottom. Ivysaur looked up at Blake and shook his head, saying they couldn't wade all the way there. Ivysaur suddenly flinched and pulled his vine out. A Shellder was holding onto it. Ivysaur shook it off.

Blake drew Magneton's pokeball again. Magneton looked around, free of confusion.

"Magneton, any chance you can fly us across?" Blake asked. Magneton nodded and lowered. Blake withdrew Ivysaur to his pokeball momentarily and climbed onto Magneton. Magneton wasn't a big pokemon and he had to wrap his arms and legs around him to keep him from falling off. Magneton rose again and began to fly over the water.

Blake held on tightly. His upper body strained. He craned his neck, trying to see how far Max had gotten.

Tauros clambered onto the platform and was withdrawn to his pokeball. Max and Charmeleon stood facing the man who'd attacked them.

An Ember left Charmeleon's mouth and hit the Ekans. It slithered away from the man it was wrapped around. Max went to the man's side to make sure he was okay. The man did not rise, causing Blake to worry.

"What are you doing?" he heard Max shout. "You can't just use your pokemon to attack people!"

"Kid, you've got no idea what you're getting yourself into," the man said. Blake squinted, trying to see better as Magneton moved at a Slowpoke's pace. His eyes widened.

"Max, watch out!" Blake called, trying to get his voice to travel such a distance. Yelling was hard for him sometimes. "It's a Team Rocket Grunt!"

Both Max and the grunt looked at him. They both stared, even the fallen man stared. Blake realized he must look pretty stupid clinging to a Magneton like this.

"Can you hurry it up Magneton?" Blake whispered. Magneton glared at him. Blake shut up and tried to see what Max was doing.

"Why did you attack this man?" Max demanded, rising to his feet, gesturing to the unconscious man on the ground.

"He's a cave guard, wouldn't let me pass," the grunt said gesturing to the doorway in the cliffside bordering the river. "Team Rocket's had its eye on this place for a while."

"So they sent you?" Max mocked. "A common grunt, with a Zubat and an Ekans?"

The grunt was taken aback. His jaw clenched angrily. "Zubat, Wing Attack. Ekans, Poison String!"

"Smokescreen then Slash," Max said. Charmeleon opened his mouth, letting a thick black fog leak out. His claws glowed white and extended. Zubat flew out of the cloud right into Charmeleon's claws. Charmeleon lashed out and knocked the Zubat into the Poison Sting.

Zubat lay in a collapsed little pile on the ground but managed to push itself up and into the air again. The smoke cleared and Ekans slithered forward to its battle partner's side.

"Bite!" the grunt yelled. Both pokemon moved forward, mouths open. Charmeleon braced and lashed out with both hands enveloped with the power of Slash. His claws raked over Ekans's body and Zubat's face. Both reeled back in pain.

The grunt began to swear loudly at his pokemon. "Supersonic!"

The same horrible sound filled the air but Blake was still too far to hear it. Max and Charmeleon covered their ears but Charmeleon didn't seem confused. A move with such low accuracy was unreliable.

Ekans rushed forward and wrapped around Charmeleon's body. His arms were raised to cover his ears and now could not lower them due to Ekans being in the way. Ekans rose his head and held it up behind Charmeleon's. Zubat flapped in front of his face, preparing to attack again.

Max called out to Charmeleon and drew another pokeball to help him but Blake beat him to it.

"Go Ivysaur!" Blake hurled the ball. Ivysaur appeared on the platform. He extended his vines and pulled Ekans off Charmeleon. Charmeleon dropped to his hands and knees, breathing hard.

Blake let go of Magneton and recalled him now that he was on solid land again.

"Took you long enough." Max grinned.

"Sorry," Blake said and stretched. His muscles hurt. "Never done that before."

"Charmeleon, Ember!" Max ordered.

"Ivysaur, Nature Power!" Blake called.

Charmeleon spat a ball of flame while Ivysaur flashed white and formed a Mud Bomb. The fire blasted Zubat back and the dirty ball exploded in Ekans's face, leaving both unconscious.

The grunt stared at his fallen pokemon then at Ivysaur and Charmeleon. They both narrowed their eyes. The grunt took a few steps back then recalled his pokemon and dove into the river to swim away.

Blake and Max turned to the cave guard, who was still lying on the ground behind them. He began to stir.

"Are you okay?" Max asked, crouching down beside him.

"I don't think so," the cave guard said but started to get to his feet. "I think I hit my head when I fell but I think I'll be able to walk."

Max and Blake went to his side to support him. Ivysaur looked at him with concern. He remembered how much pain he'd been in when he'd first injured his own head and he remembered the sharp feelings he'd feel if he moved the wrong way and the dull ache he sometimes have.

"We'll get you medical care," Max assured. Charmeleon reached up and swiped Tauros's pokeball from Max's belt, releasing him. Tauros stood beside them and quickly realized what was needed of him. He crouched so Max and Blake could balance the cave guard on his back.

"Wait, I can't abandon my post," the guard protested. Blake followed his gaze and saw the opening in the cliffside that the grunt had been trying to get into.

"Blake, can you stay here?" Max asked. "I'd do it but I need to help Tauros get him back to Cerulean City."

"Um, sure," Blake said.

"Just stay until sundown," the cave guard told him. "At night, the water pokemon defend the entrance so you might not be able to get back."

"Alright," Blake said and looked nervously at the water. Tauros waded back into the water with Max and the cave guard on his back and Charmeleon on his head, guiding him. They didn't seem concerned about those pokemon in the water now.

Blake watched them swim off and sat next to Ivysaur, preparing for the hours to come.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I always use Tauros in Gen 2 for Surf. I find it amusing.

Whoever knows what cave Blake is guarding gets a virtual high five.

Max is not Max from the anime. I used a Random Pokemon Generator for my pokemon stories and I might've used a Random Name Generator for the names too. I can't remember. It was so long ago.

Reminder: Poll on my profile for next story.


	10. Vision Valley

Blake sat on the platform, his back pressed against the cool, rocky cliffside that bordered the river in Cerulean Cape. Ivysaur stood at the edge of the small island-like platform, boredly jabbing at the water with his vine, watching the water ripple at the lightest touch.

Blake too was bored but man who was supposed to be guarding the entry to the cave within the cliff behind him had told him there were powerful pokemon in the water and Blake did not wish to provoke them.

"Stop that," he told Ivysaur and gently put his hand on his back to guide him away from the water. Ivysaur backed away and settled next to Blake with a sigh and stared blankly ahead.

Both of them were bored even though they hadn't been waiting very long. The day had been eventful but it led to taking over as cave guard until the day was over. Blake could not comprehend how that man managed to do this every day, from sunrise to sundown. It was so boring.

The view was nice though. He didn't know a lot about land formations but he'd describe the Cerulean Cape as a ravine. One side was ground level, then a massive dip containing the Cerulean River, then land again. He didn't really know what was behind him but he was facing Cerulean City. He could see the cliffside reaching from the river up to the flat land that Cerulean City inhabited. Buildings bordered the edge and he could see some people at the cliffside gazing at the beautiful waters below.

Looking sideways, he could see the bridge that connected the two sides. The battle challenge was still going on but it was too far for him to watch.

He squinted, trying to make out the pokemon but to no avail. Squinting usually just made things harder to see and this time was no different. He resumed watching the calm waters.

Blake was beginning to fall asleep when he heard the harsh sound of rock against rock. He jumped up, startled by the sudden noise, and looked around and saw Ivysaur wasn't beside him any more. He turned around and peered into the cave where Ivysaur was leaning all of his weight against a boulder, sliding it across the cave's floor.

"What are you doing?" Blake asked, concerned.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur said, not turning around. He shoved the boulder one more time causing it to fall into a hole with a loud thump. Zubat flew out of the mouth of the cave. Blake leaped backward, not wanting one of the to accidentally hit him on their way out. They flew out and across the river screeching their usual Zubat cry.

Ivysaur started walking deeper into the cave. He turned around and looked at Blake as if he expected him to follow then went back to his steady pace.

Blake ran a few steps to catch up. He looked up at the ceiling, looking for any cave pokemon roosting and for any loose stalactites that may fall. He glanced around some more out of nervousness. The cave was too dark to see far and the rocks that covered the walls and floor could be hiding any number of threats. He always knew when he was being paranoid but he couldn't help it. He looked back down at Ivysaur. "Is there something back here?"

"Saur," Ivysaur said simply. Blake took that as a no. Ivysaur was just bored.

"You do know we're supposed to be guarding the entrance, right?"

"Saur. Ivysaur."

"They probably don't want people in here for a reason, Ivysaur," Blake told him but Ivysaur continued to ignore him. Blake always wondered why he did that. He wasn't the kind of pokemon to test how much he could get away with. Maybe he couldn't understand him? Or maybe he just wanted to do his own thing and knew Blake would go along with it. "That's why the cave has a guard. And probably why those rocks were blocking the enterance. You shouldn't have moved them, Ivysaur."

"Saur." Ivysaur shoved another boulder, pushing it into another hole in the ground, completely ignoring what Blake had to say. It seemed convenient that there were all these holes around to put the rocks in. Blake figured whoever assigned that guard here had been through here and set up there obstacles. They didn't seem difficult to bypass but then again, he was lucky Ivysaur was strong enough to push these boulders because there was no way he could on his own.

It soon became clear that Ivysaur had no idea where he was going or even an intention of getting anywhere. Blake tried to remember all the turns they'd taken but realized they'd inevitably get lost and gave up.

Blake drew his other two pokeballs and released Haunter and Magneton. Ivysaur stopped walking and looked back at his trainer.

"Magneton, can you spark up some electricity to give us some light?" he asked.

"Tonnnn….!" Magneton droned. Electricity discharged from his magnets, covering the surrounding area in a faint light.

"Haunter, can you phase around and make sure we don't get lost?" Blake asked.

"Haunt!" Haunter saluted and disappeared.

Ivysaur turned away again and began walking again. He walked at his usual relaxed pace, not really in a hurry. The only reason he went into the cave was because he wanted relief from the boredom, he didn't actually have the intention of getting anywhere.

Blake, Magneton, and Ivysaur hadn't walked far when Haunter returned. Haunter wore an excited expression on his face.

"Haunt, haunt!" Haunter chanted when he reappeared in front of his trainer. Both of his disembodied hands grabbed Blake's and began pulling him forward, trying to get him to follow.

"Woah. Did you find something?" Blake asked. Haunter nodded enthusiastically. Haunter was easily excited but Blake believed he'd actually found something this time, there were a lot of things about this cave that caused questions to arise.

One of Haunter's hands released Blake's and went to Ivysaur. He began pushing him by the rear, sliding him across the cave floor. Ivysaur looked up at Haunter confused as he and Blake were rushed through the cave at an only slightly faster speed. Magneton trailed behind them, trying to keep up.

"Okay, Haunter, we can walk on our own," Blake said.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur agreed, annoyed.

"Haunter…" Haunter returned his hands to his body and looked down for a moment but soon resumed his swift, excited movements. He rushed ahead then flew back like a dog pokemon trying to get his master to follow him. Haunter's lolling tongue combined with his childlike behavior always caused Blake to compare the two. It was actually pretty funny at times.

Haunter led them further into the cave, continuing to fly ahead then fly back in an effort for them to speed up. Occasionally, Haunter wold have to phase through the walls to find a path that his solid companions could follow.

Much like the factory where Blake had found Magneton, the cave had many halls, paths, and corridors that created a complex maze. Magneton didn't seem very concerned but Ivysaur was starting to look like he regret coming here. He looked back and forth between Haunter and Magneton, hoping their confidence was enough to get them out once they were done.

Soon, they began to see natural light. Haunter became excited again and tugged on Blake's shirt to try to get him to hurry up again. Haunter raced forward towards the light.

"Wait!" Blake called. Haunter rolled his eyes and continued to speed ahead. Blake, Ivysaur, and Magneton sped up. When they caught up, Haunter was waiting beside an opening in the rock creating a doorway back to the outside world.

"Is this what you wanted to show us?" Blake asked tiredly, not believing Haunter had gotten this excited about a door and that he'd believed there would actually be something there. Haunter nodded with a grin. "Did you even go through to see what's out there?"

Haunter shook his head but lost none of his excitement. "Haunt haunt!"

Haunter grabbed Blake's hand again and pulled him through the doorway and into what lay on the other side.

Using his other hand, Blake shielded his eyes, his eyes not used to the sunlight after being in the cave so long. Ivysaur did the same while Haunter and Magneton each gave sounds of awe. Blake rubbed his eyes then looked at what his pokemon were looking at and soon shared their dumbfoundedness at the beauty of what lay before them.

The cave lead to a gorge. The area was surrounded by high walls of rock forming a round shape, like a stadium almost. Crevessess and openings leading back into the cave system were scattered higher up. Within the walls, however, was what awestruck them. A field filled the land. Tall, green grass covered the ground with vibrant flowers alongside it. Leafy trees lined some of the edges casting powerful shadows against the walls. A small pool with a thin stream leaking out of it sat at one corner, likely the water source for this lush haven.

The gorge shared a similar beauty with the forest Blake had walked through when he started his journey but unlike it in every way at the same time. It was stunning. Blake stood open mouthed, watching the way that the warm breeze moved the grass, taking in the colors of the flowers, appreciating everything before him.

"Saur." Ivysaur's voice snapped him out of his trance. Ivysaur pointed ahead. Blake tried to see what he was looking at. He soon spotted something rustling around in the grass. A pokemon, maybe.

"Haunt!" Haunter left Blake's side and rushed towards the moving shape in the grass.

"Magnetonnn..!" Magneton followed him but much slower.

"Hey!" Blake called in warning. Ivysaur took off after Haunter, curious to what was moving. Blake sighed. His pokemon completely lacked a sense of caution. He ran to catch up with them. He made it it the grass, careful not to crush any of the growth, and joined his pokemon in looking at what they'd found.

"Ditto." A strangely shaped creature looked back at them with a face that reminded Blake of the pictures he would draw as a child. Haunter, Ivysaur, and Magneton simply stared blankly at the unusual pokemon, completely confused.

"Haunt?" Haunter reached out with one finger and poked the pokemon, watching its reaction. Haunter reeled back slightly, disgusted. Ivysaur lifted a foreleg and began jabbing at it. Its body didn't budge but it jiggled like water in a bag or a plate of jello.

Suddenly the pokemon was surrounded in a flash of light. Blake flinched a bit instinctively.

"Saur?"

When Blake looked back, he saw two Ivysaur and immediately became confused.

"Ivysaur?" he asked. Both Ivysaur turned and looked at him. He looked at both of them and soon identified his own. Blake's Ivysaur still had the scar on his head and the other wore a face with similar imperfections as the pokemon who had stood before them merely seconds ago. "Woah."

Haunter jabbed at the pokemon with a finger again. This time, it stood as sturdy as Ivysaur himself. Haunter cocked his head at it.

"Ivysaur," the pokemon said.

"Saur," Ivysaur responded, still confused. The two stared blankly at each other.

Blake kneeled down next to Ivysaur to stare at the phenomenon. There were almost no imperfections on what stood before him other than the face and head. He reached out with a hand and felt its skin. It had the same cool, plant-like texture as Ivysaur.

The pokemon suddenly morphed again. Blake leaped back in surprise. He saw himself looking back at him.

The copy looked down at its body and moved its arms. It flexed then reached up and felt at its hair and clothes. Blake suddenly felt somewhat self-conscious. He didn't look at himself much and this creatures reactions were causing him to become concerned about his appearance.

Magneton circled around Blake then his copy. The copy stopped looking at itself and looked directly at Blake. It smirked.

"Hi," it said, again startling Blake. It spoke in his voice. "I'm Ditto."

"...Hi…" Blake responded hesitantly. "Uh, I'm Blake, this is Ivysaur, Haunter, and Magneton."

"Nice to meet you." Ditto bowed. "Wanna play?"

Ditto, still in the form of Blake dropped down into a crouch and looked up at the three of them with a look of extreme playfulness.

"Haunt!" Haunter immediately agreed. Ditto morphed again and took the form of Haunter. The two flew around, circling each other, rushing further into the valley. Their movements rustled the grass. Haunter extended one hand and held it against the ground as he flew, running his clawed fingers through the greenery as he flew by. Flowers and grass were thrown into the air. He stopped and watched it rain down on him. Ditto grabbed Blake's hand and pulled at him to get him to follow. He looked back at Blake, Magneton, and Ivysaur.

Magneton flew forward to follow them but Ivysaur and Blake shared a glance. Ivysaur shrugged, showing that he didn't understand this anymore than Blake did.

"Fuck it," Blake said and ran after them, ignoring his questioning nature. Ivysaur started running too, speeding past Blake. Blake watched him pass him and poured more speed into his legs. Ivysaur grinned and the two began racing, no longer caring about the strangeness of their new friend or anything else that would hinder the thrill of their play.

They soon caught up and passed Magneton due to his slower speed. Blake ran right into Haunter who let him pass through him. Haunter laughed and swiped at the tall grass, cutting it with his claws. Blake put up an arm to prevent any of the debris from getting into his eyes. He smiled back and did the same back at Haunter. Ditto grabbed the back of Blake's shirt with a ghostly hand and lifted him up of the ground. Blake gasped in surprise as Ditto gently whirled him around a bit before letting him go.

Blake didn't fall far. Ivysaur's vines caught him and set him down safely. Magneton came to his side and gave off a weak spark of electricity, pretending to be angry. Ditto gave a big Haunter grin then morphed into Magneton. The two faced each other but quickly got over the strangeness of looking at an identical version and began to dance around, giving off sparks of electricity.

Blake looked at his pokemon playing with their new friend and realized they'd never done anything like this. After he'd caught Ivysaur, he'd spent most of his time traveling. He'd caught Haunter and Magneton on his way to Cerulean and never stopped to play. He was on a journey but he wasn't traveling. He wasn't in a hurry, he wasn't trying to get to a specific location. Why didn't they stop to have fun? He felt enlightened, as if he'd just discovered something which he had but never realized. The ability to play with the innocence and carelessness of a child.

He smiled and ran up to his pokemon and began to play under the sparks raining down on them. He reached out and felt one. Surprisingly it didn't hurt. He almost expected to feel the pain of being electrocuted. The sparks died out once they hit his skin. He'd never felt snow before but he imagined this was how it felt like. It was light and felt odd n the surface of his skin but it wasn't bad. He rather liked it.

Ditto descended from the sky and transformed into Ivysaur again. It extended its vines and began to tickle Blake with one and Haunter with the other. Haunter began to laugh like the ghost that he was and Blake soon joined him.

He laughed, and laughed. He had not laughed like this in a long time. He didn't remember the last time he had laughed out of joy. Ivysaur watched him and extended his own vines to join Ditto in tickling his friends. Both of his vines went to Blake while one of Ditto's left and went to Haunter.

Blake tried to tell him to stop but he couldn't form words. Ivysaur looked at him with a satisfied smile, watching him squirm and fight the sensation of being tickled. Ivysaur chuckled, seeming to be enjoying this too.

Suddenly Ditto and Ivysaur stopped. Ditto returned to his original pink, blobby form. Blake sensed something behind him. He and Haunter turned around and saw what had made Ditto and Ivysaur stop.

Blake looked up at something equally as stunning as the valley they'd found. Another pokemon stood before him. Or floated rather. It appeared to be standing on the air.

The pokemon was white with a long purple tail originating at its front and extending back to its rear. It stood tall on two legs and had two long white arms resting at its sides. The gaze of its pink eyes bore into the three intruders.

"I'm sorry," Blake said, suddenly feeling as if he'd done something wrong. "Are we disturbing you? Should we not be here?"

The pokemon started to shake its head but stopped as if to think about it. He just held his gaze. He looked over at Ditto and the two exchanged some words that Blake couldn't understand.

"Do you want us to go?" Blake asked. The pokemon shook its head then pointed up at the sky. Blake looked up and saw that the sun was no longer overhead. He couldn't see it due to the valley's walls but he saw the color of the sun setting bleeding into the sky.

Blake swore as he remembered. "We had to leave before sunset!"

His pokemon made sounds of disappointment that they had to leave and worry that they wouldn't be able to make it back to the Pokemon Center in time.

The pokemon held up a hand as if to assure them that things would be okay. Ditto quickly said something to the other pokemon that Blake couldn't really follow. His pokemon rubbed against Ditto like they were saying goodbye.

The other pokemon's eyes glowed and it raised its arms. A psychic field surrounded Blake, Ivysaur, Haunter, and Magneton. Suddenly, they were standing at the foot of the bridge leading from Cerulean City to Cerulean Cape.

"Teleport…?" Blake murmured and looked at the pokemon. It continued to silently look at him. "Say goodbye to Ditto for me okay?"

The pokemon gave a swift nod then disappeared again. Blake turned away and began to walk back towards the Pokemon Center with his pokemon, replaying all the exciting and strange things that had happened that day in his mind. This would be a memory he would never forget.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Virtual high five if you know who the unnamed pokemon is. You should get it, it's fairly obvious even if you've never played Gen 1.

I forgot what day it was the other day so you got an extra chapter this week. I'd apologize but none of you actually care about the update schedule.

Reminder: Poll for next story on profile.


	11. Homesick

"Haunt!" Haunter yelled loudly, waking Blake. He groaned in tiredness. He and his pokemon had crashed in one of the rooms in the Cerulean City Pokemon Center after the crazy day before.

Blake glared at Haunter in annoyance at being awoken. Ivysaur stirred next to him and jumped off the bed and onto the floor. He stretched and began to grab some of the various things around the room to put back in Blake's backpack.

Blake rolled out of bed and onto his feet. Slowly he began to prepare for the day, gathering his things from the Pokemon Center room, changing clothes, taking care of his hygiene. He recalled all his pokemon to their pokeballs and made his way to the Pokemon Center lobby.

"Hey Blake," a voice greeted. Blake saw the trainer he'd met the day before, Max, sitting at a table with his Hitmonlee at his side.

"Hey," Blake responded and made his way over.

"Sorry to leave you at the cave yesterday," Max apologized.

"It's fine," Blake said. "How is the guard doing?"

"He'll be fine, took him to a doctor," Max told him. "They said he had a minor concussion and some bruising. He'll be fine but the Pokemon League'll be sending another guard over."

"That's good," Blake said. Hitmonlee jabbed at Max's side.

"Oh right," Max said aloud, remembering something. "He says thanks and wanted to give you this."

Hitmonlee reached into a nearby bag and fished something out. He held it up and handed it to Blake. Blake accepted it and looked at the strange object in his hand. It was some kind of rock with an odd green coloring. It was small, too small to be an Evolutionary Item or a Held Item.

"Uh… what is it?" Blake asked.

"Not totally sure." Max faltered. "He said it was a Grass Gem. He have me one too but he called it a Fire Gem. He said they didn't really have any use, just that Grass Type Pokemon like Grass Gems and Fire Type Pokemon like Fire Gems. I guess he wanted to thank your Ivysaur and my Charmeleon for battling."

"That's nice," Blake murmured and out the Grass Gem in his backpack. He was grateful that it was light and small enough to carry or he would feel bad about tossing it.

"So, are you doing anything today?" Max asked. "The Cerulean Gym's open today."

"I didn't know it was ever closed…" Blake said. "But I'm not doing the Gym Challenge."

"Really?" Max asked, surprised. "You should think about it. It's late in the season to start now but I think you'd like it."

"No thanks," Blake responded. "Not interested."

"Then if you don't mind me asking, why are you a traveling trainer?" Max questioned. "I haven't met a lot of trainers who weren't aiming to go to the Pokemon League."

Blake shrugged. "I wanted to get outta Pewter and I did some crazy stuff when I met Ivysaur so I realized I could do it, become a trainer I mean."

Max nodded. "So, you're from Pewter?"

"Yeah, why?"

"We're heading there soon," Max said. "Not quite yet even though it has the next Gym sequentially but if you know anything about the Gym Leader…?"

"I know a bit, not a lot. I was never really into battling." Blake shrugged. "But the point of the Gym Challenge is to challenge trainers so you really should just wait until you challenge the gym."

"Come on," Max begged. He paused for a moment. "Tell you what, if you tell me about the Pewter Gym, I'll tell you about the Regional Festival. I think you'd like it."

"What? What's that?" Blake asked.

"I'll tell you if you tell me about the Pewter Gym." Max smirked.

"Fine," Blake said, intrigued about this Regional Festival Max was talking about. And besides, he didn't really care about the purpose of gyms, he just said that stuff about how Max should wait to change the subject. "The Gym Leader's name is Brock, he uses Rock Types but most of his pokemon are also Ground Types. His pokemon of choice is Onix."

"How many pokemon does he use?"

"Depends." Blake said. "I've seen him use a few different teams and strategies. Usually more new trainers, its two-on-two but I heard he has a full team of stronger pokemon he uses for more experienced trainers."

"Yeah, I've heard a lot of Gym Leaders do that…" Max nodded. "How does he decide which team to battle with?"

"I don't know," Blake said. "Now can you tell me about this Regional Festival thing?"

"Have you ever been to a Johto Festival?" Max asked.

"No."

"Oh. Well, in the Johto Festival, a group of people from Johto go to another region and show the natives there some stuff unique to Johto. The Regional Festival is like that but with a lot more regions."

Blake nodded. He was unsure if he thought he would like that or not but he was sure at least his pokemon would enjoy it. "Why do they do that?"

Max shrugged. "Not sure. To inspire trainers to visit other regions or something. Kanto does it too. So you gonna go?"

"I think so. You?"

"Nah." Max responded. "I gotta train up my team for the next Gym. Speaking of which, we should get going."

"Alright," Blake said, slightly disappointed that he was leaving but also somewhat glad to not have to spend time with another person. "See ya?"

"See ya," Max responded and gathered his things before walking out the front door of the Pokemon Center with Hitmonlee following close behind.

Blake took a bit longer but he was soon headed outside. He wandered around the streets of Cerulean a bit, unfamiliar with the city. Eventually he picked up the sound of commotion and was able to follow it. He walked through Cerulean City, looking around and taking notice of how it was different from Pewter City, and made his way to what appeared to be the Festival that Max was talking about.

Blake drew his three pokeballs and tossed them to let his pokemon see what he was seeing. The sidewalks were lined with colorful tents and tables sat under the in the place of shops that had been closed and the road was filled with families and trainers checking out each booth, looking at the pokemon, items, and luxuries each one had.

"Welcome!" a woman was standing where the street began. She began walking towards him. She held a sign with poorly written writing that she waved around.

"Thanks," Blake said. He leaned over to read the sign. "Regional Festival. Johto, Orange Archipelago, Alola."

"That's right!" she exclaimed, waving the sign. "Isn't that great? All four regions of the world can be seen right here at this festival!"

"There are more than four regions…" Blake said slowly.

She sighed and stopped waving the sign. "I know, I was hoping you wouldn't know that. Apparently this Festival's kinda slacking, the planners could only get people from regions close to Kanto to come so my father told me to try and hype this up as much as possible. How'd I do?"

"Uhhh… You shouldn't be telling people that but you did fine…" Blake told her. "Might want to tone it down a bit."

"You're right," she said, slightly deflated but perked up again. "Are these your pokemon?"

"Yeah." Blake said. "This is Ivysaur, Magneton, and Haunter."

"Ooh, a Haunter!" she said excitedly. "I read about these. You Ghosts are a rarity here in Kanto!"

"Haunt!" Haunter grinned, happy to be getting some admiration.

The woman took one of Haunter's hands and shook it. "Hi Haunter. I'm Jane. I'm from the Orange Islands."

"Haunter!" Haunter greeted back. Ivysaur and Magneton vocalized their greeting as well.

"Nice to meet you Jane. I'm Blake," Blake said, ignoring the fact she didn't introduce herself to him. "If you don't mind, we'd like to look around, we've never been to one of these."

"Really?" she questioned. "Then you've got to let me show you around."

"You don't have to do that," Blake told her. Despite feeling more social than usual, he still wasn't sure if he wanted to spend time with someone. "Don't you have to hold that sign?"

She shrugged it off. "Yeah but I wasn't doing a very good job anyway. Not getting paid either. My father's running one of the tents, as long as we avoid that one, we're good."

"Okay…" Blake said and began to follow her. Haunter seemed to like her, he flew close to her than whirled back to be close to Blake then back up again while Ivysaur and Magneton trailed behind a bit due to their slower speeds.

As the minutes turned to hours, Blake found he like Jane too. She was an extremely bright and positive person, almost the opposite of how he was when he was living in Pewter. She seemed to know a lot about the various regions shown here.

She lead them in a winding path through the streets. She showed him the fruits from the Orange Islands, Pokeballs made by a man named Kurt in Johto as well as the Apricorns he used, a pink Bellsprout from Pinkan Island, Komola Coffee from the Cafes in Alolan Pokemon Centers, tablets of writing from the Ruins of Alph, Z-Crystals, Moo Moo Milk from the farms in Johto, Pokegear, Alolan Pokemon, and many other things Blake could never imagine were real.

"Isn't this great?" Jane asked when she, Blake, Ivysaur, Magneton, and Haunter stopped and bought some Pinap Juice.

Blake reached down and let Ivysaur drink some of his juice. "Yeah, I didn't know the other regions had so much stuff we don't have here."

"What's wrong?" she asked suddenly.

"What? Nothing." Blake said, confused. He looked down at Ivysaur then back up. "I thought Ivysaur would want some…"

"No, not that. Why would I freak out about you feeding your pokemon?" she said. "You just lost some of that spirit you've had since we started looking at all the booths."

"Oh," Blake stated.

"Oh? Don't just say 'oh'. What's up?" Jane asked.

"Nothing's wrong," he said. He paused for a moment. "I just remember going to something like this with my sister when I was younger, I haven't seen her in a while, that's all."

"Oh, okay," she responded. She too paused a moment then grabbed him. "Follow me, I just thought of something."

She pulled at him hard, the jerking causing him to drop the Pinap Juice. One of Haunter's hands caught it before it fell as he flew to follow him. Haunter sipped at it a bit but stuck out his tounge in distaste and reached his hand down to give Ivysaur access to it. Ivysaur smile and happily began drinking.

Jane dragged Blake down the street to a structure a bit farther from the others than their usual spacing. A tent stood, seeming out of place. Next to it was a pen with various pokemon within with strange objects on their backs.

Blake was able to recognized only a few. He recognized Tauros, he'd seen one the day before. He also recognized Lapras and he knew one of the others was one of the Dragons of Kanto, though he wasn't sure which one. A few other pokemon stood as well but Blake was sure he'd never seen them anywhere before.

Jane walked up to one of the people under the tent. "One Tauros Charge Ride Pager for my friend here please."

The man handed her a strange rounded rectangular device. She took it and pushed Blake towards one of the Tauros.

"What's this? Blake asked. Jane pressed the device against is chest. It stuck and he was soon enveloped in different clothing. He looked down at himself and hoped he didn't look too stupid wearing whatever this was.

"Tauros Charge," she said as if that explained everything.

"What?"

"Tauros Charge. In the Alola Region trainers can register to get this thing called a Ride Pager," she explained. "You can call on pokemon to help you out. Tauros's strength can help out trainers in rocky areas or he can be ridden to travel long distances."

"And I need that why…?"

"So you can go back to Pewter," Jane said patiently. "You miss her, don't you? Your sister? With Tauros, you can get back home in a flash and you can get back here pretty soon. Read the instructions."

Blake looked around, confused then looked at his forearm.

"Press corresponding button to call Ride Pokemon," he read aloud. "Press corresponding button to deploy Riding Wear. Press corresponding button to retract Riding Gear. Press corresponding button to send Ride Pokemon back to base." He looked up from reading. "What's the corresponding button mean?"

Jane laughed as if she thought he was joking and pushed him towards Tauros. "Recall your pokemon then get on."

Blake recalled Ivysaur and Magneton to their pokeballs but left Haunter out, knowing he was fast enough to keep up and he could fly. He approached Tauros and rubbed the side of his head for good measure before trying to mount him. He clambered awkwardly but soon seated himself on the seating device on Tauros's back.

"Just tell him where you want to go or steer him using that handle," the man at the booth said. "Try not to keep him out too long. Just read the instructions if you can't figure anything out."

Bake looked at the so-called instructions for a moment then looked back up. He gave Tauros a light kick and he took off.

"Bye!" he heard Jane call from the distance as Tauros raced away. He wanted to call back but he didn't want to turn around while sitting atop a pokemon moving so fast. He was terrified he'd lose his balance. Haunter flew at a desperate speed, trying to keep up with Blake and Tauros. Blake realized that Haunter out probably wasn't the best idea but he feared he'd drop his pokeball at the speed they were going if he tried to recall him now.

One of Haunter's hands reached forward and Haunter pulled himself onto Tauros's back. He looked kinda funny sitting due to not having a body but that also made him light enough to sit there too and Blake enjoyed the company.

Tauros soon made its way to a road that Blake knew was a direct Route to Pewter City. He'd considered taking it when he started traveling but he remembered the saying that it's about the journey, not the destination.

The Route was long but Tauros was surprisingly fast. Blake knew Tauros were known for their speed and strength but he figured this one was probably bred specifically for this and had built up the muscle to run like this after doing this for such a long time. Blake just sat back and watched the scenery go by, something he'd always loved doing.

Hours began to pass. He'd also spent a few at the festival so it was well into the day now but not nearing night. Sitting for so long was extremely uncomfortable and was beginning to become painful but Tauros seemed to be in a good momentum right now so he didn't want to stop him. He continued to be surprised by Tauros's power. He'd kept an incredible speed for a while now and Blake thought he could see Pewter in the distance.

Tauros began to slow down to more of a jog, then to a trot as they neared so that he didn't have to come to an abrupt stop when they reached the border of Pewter City. Tauros came to stop right where the dirt road began to meet cement.

"You don't like the city ground, huh?" Blake smiled as he dismounted. Haunter rose, happy to be able to fly around again. He rushed around without straying too far so he could look at the new sights.

"Mroo," Tauros whinnied and stomped. Blake pat him softly and fiddled with the Ride Pager. He managed to retract the Riding Gear and figured out how to send Tauros back. He pat Tauros one more time to send him off. Tauros took off with blinding speed once more. Blake questioned if that was such a good idea but he still had the Ride Pager if he wanted to get back to Cerulean via Tauros.

Blake stopped watching Tauros run off when he realized Haunter was getting impatient.

"Come one Haunter," he said getting his pokemon to follow him. "I haven't been here in so long! There's so much I want you guys to see."

Haunter followed Blake up and down the city streets. Blake pointed out various things to Haunter like the Gym, the museum, the Pokemart, the school he went to as a kid, or another important building. Slowly but surely they made their way to streets with housing.

Blake let out Ivysaur and Magneton as they neared his own home. "Ivysaur, you remember Olivia right? My sister?"

"Ivy." Ivysaur nodded.

"We're going to go see her," Blake told him. He didn't really know how much pokemon were aware of when they were in their pokeballs. "Magneton and Haunter haven't met her."

"Tonnn…!"

"Haunt!"

Blake lead the group up and down streets. It seemed they'd done a lot of that today.

"We're getting close g-" Blake turned a corner and he suddenly stopped.

"Saur?" Ivysaur questioned. Blake dropped to his knees in silence. Ivysaur glanced sideways to see what had made him do that.

The street lay before them. Or what would have been. The roads, the houses, even the plant life of the street where Blake had grown up, it was all gone.

* * *

**Author's Note:** In my head, this story and the other Pokemon story I'm working on take place a few years before the games/ anime.

I also do not remember the significance of the Grass Gem. I don't think I've ever even had one in any games. I wrote this a long time ago and I think I had plans for it and ended up not writing them. I have no idea why that was included. If any of you have any theories, I might write it as a bonus or something.

It's October so I'm doing a Spooktober Writing Challenge. Right now, my most popular stories are Warriors and Legends but I had no idea how to write a Halloween story for those so it's Ben 10. Check it out if you're interested.

Reminder: There is a poll on my profile regarding the next story I'm going to write. Please vote.

So sorry that I missed an update. I'm doing college tours this week and I straight up forgot to update.


	12. Fuck the World

Ivysaur watched Blake fall to his knees as he stared at the empty street. The road was still there for the most part but it had a series of large cracks running through it. On either side there were stacks of rubble on the lots where houses should have been.

"Blake…" Ivysaur murmured and put a foreleg comfortingly on Blake knowing he'd understand the gesture if he didn't understand the words. Haunter put a hand on his shoulder and Magneton pressed up close to his body. Blake continued to stare as if he was completely unaware of what was around him.

As Ivysaur's concern grew, he head something from down the street. A man was approaching, pushing a wheelbarrow with various kinds of debris in it. He walked up to them and set down the wheelbarrow. Blake rose to his feet and began to talk with him.

"Cr-i-st-ian," Haunter sounded out.

"What?" Magneton asked.

"Christian," Haunter said more clearly. "That's his name. He has what humans call a nametag. Its kinda like a collar or an ID."

"What are they saying?" Ivysaur asked. He had figured out early on that Haunter could understand english almost perfectly. The reason why he still did not know but right now he didn't really care.

"Blake looks desperate," Magneton commented, the expression on his face showing as much concern as Ivysaur knew they all felt.

"Hush," Haunter said. Haunter looked focused for a bit as Christian and Blake began to converse. Blake's face did show an extreme amount of desperation. He looked like he was going to burst into tears like a child any second now. Ivysaur didn't really understand what was happening so he couldn't even guess what they were talking about. He only understood the words that ended the conversation.

"I'm sorry."

Christian picked up his wheelbarrow and continued to push it away. Blake stood silently for a minute, just staring at the ground, clearly in shock.

"Blake?" Ivysaur asked and pressed against him in a second effort to comfort him. "Are you okay?"

A tear hit the ground. It was soon followed by several others.

"There is water coming from his eyes," Magneton said. "His face is leaking

"He's crying," Haunter told him. He and Magneton went to their previous positions of comfort. "Humans do it when they're upset. He is sad."

Blake didn't stand still for long. He yelled a word that Ivysaur had never heard before and pushed his pokemon away. He took off sprinting with tears running down his face and dripping like rain.

"Blake, wait!" Ivysaur called and took a few steps after him but turned to look at Haunter. "What'd that… that guy say?"

"He said… he said… hold on. It was kinda confusing." Haunter paused a moment to rack his brain. "He said something about an Onix. Yeah, an Onix. Its trainer wanted to evolve it but it's hard to get the evolutionary item needed to evolve it so its trainer got one off the black market. The trainer used it but it wasn't a pure metal coat and the Onix didn't evolve properly. It rampaged down this street and destroyed everything."

"Then why is trainer Blake so sad?" Magneton asked.

"You don't understand humans much do you?" Haunter said. "To humans, where they were raised as a child has a special place in their heart and they can't really accept anything happening that changes it."

"Blake told me he didn't like living in Pewter," Ivysaur said, not really believing what Haunter had said but Haunter seemed to stick with his claim.

"This place still has meaning to him." Haunter shrugged. "Have you been here before? Do you know where he might've gone?"

Ivysaur shook his head. "I've only been to his house once and my head injury was pretty bad then compared to now. I don't really remember it."

"Try."

Ivysaur thought for a moment. "When I was a Bulbasaur, he'd sometimes come to the forest but he might've liked to go other places, I don't know."

"May as well look there," Haunter said. He began to fly in the direction Blake had run. Ivysaur and Magneton sped after him but couldn't really keep up. Haunter occasionally stopped to wait for them to catch up.

They soon made it to a road, the same one that Blake had traveled on to go to the forest the day he'd met Ivysaur. There weren't a lot of pokemon but they asked the ones they saw if they'd seen their trainer.

"Have you seen a human come by here?" Magneton asked when they spotted a pair of a Vulpix and a Growlithe.

"I've seen plenty of humans," Vulpix said gruffly.

"He means be more specific, please," the Growlithe said more pleasantly than her fellow Fire Type companion.

"Less than two Electrodes high, has head fur with a color like that of an Eevee, has a magic sack on his back," Magneton said. "And his face was leaking."

"And he means that he's around 5 and a half feet tall give or take, he has brown hair, he's wearing a backpack and he is crying." Haunter rolled his eyes. Normally Ivysaur found Haunter and Magneton's differences amusing but right now he was too worried about Blake.

"Yeah, we saw a human like that back yonder." Vulpix gestured behind him with his tails.

"And he was crying." Growlithe nodded. "May I ask why? He seemed pretty upset."

"Human thing," Haunter said dismissively.

"Thanks," Ivysaur said as they resumed their fast pace to find Blake.

The forest was still a long way off but they could still make out the greenery in the distance. The sun was beginning to set. It was at a point where the light shone directly into Ivysaur's eyes, making it difficult for him to see but he knew he had to power through it. Between the three of them and the forest was just the long dirt road bordered by tall dry grass. As they ran, a shape soon came into sight.

"Blake!" Ivysaur sped up into a spirit. His companions sped up into the flying equivalent and rushed to the side of their trainer.

Blake sat on the road in a collapsed pile but seemed uninjured. He sat with his face buried into his hands. He was sobbing pretty hard, his clothes and the ground around him were stained with his tears.

"What's the matter?" Ivysaur asked. Blake said something unintelligible. Ivysaur looked to Haunter.

"What? Oh, right. I do the translating," Haunter said, remembering. "Blake had asked that human guy what happened to all the people on that street and he said he didn't know. None of them were found and there had been some gang activity recently so he told Blake to prepare for the worst. Blake's sister may be dead."

"You can't just say it like that!" Ivysaur exclaimed. " That's like the most important thing anyone has said all day. You should've started with that!"

"Yeah, even I can understand why Blake is so upset," Magneton agreed, glaring at Haunter but neither Ivysaur nor Magneton could be upset with Haunter for long. Blake needed them.

Or not. Blake pushed them away and yelled again before taking off running into the field surrounding the road.

"What'd he say?" Magneton asked.

"I'm not gonna repeat that," Haunter said and flew after him. Ivysaur's vines fought against the tall grass as he tried to carve through. He soon found the pathway of crushed grass Blake left when he took off. Ivysaur ran through it looking up occasionally to make sure Magneton and Haunter were on the trail to.

They soon made it out of the tall grass and into a round shape cut out of it. The clearing too was surrounded by grass which made this being here odd but Ivysaur was thankful for the clearance of grass. He was too short to see over the grass.

Ivysaur saw Blake standing in the clearing and felt a wave of relief that Blake hadn't run off too far.

"Get away from that!" Haunter yelled suddenly. Ivysaur looked up at him in surprise and saw Haunter's eyes looking around wildly and in fear, something Ivysaur had never seen in him.

Looking ahead, Ivysaur saw Blake staring at a pokemon. A Staryu. "Haunter, why-?"

Haunter didn't wait to listen to Ivysaur's question. He rushed forward towards Blake. "Blake, get away from-!"

The Staryu suddenly began spinning. It faced upward and spun on its back and began to rise up into the sky. Ivysaur felt his stomach drop as he realized what Haunter was trying to warn them of.

Staryu spun rapidly and began to glow white and grow. Ivysaur, Haunter, and Magneton all remembered going through that same experience, it was like none other. Staryu grew in size and its legs extended and thickened, even growing some new ones. When the light died down, a Starmie was left hovering up high in the center of the clearing.

Blake continued to stare at it as Starmie shot a beam of Psychic power into the night sky. The other three pokemon realized what was happening and rushed forward but another white light enveloped all five of them before they could make it to Blake's side.


	13. Spaceship

Ivysaur shut his eyes as tight as he possibly could, making his head hurt, as they light filled his vision. He heard Haunter cry out and Magneton make a sound of surprise. He felt a strange sensation on skin though it didn't hurt it was just weird.

The sights and the feelings only lasted a moment though. Ivysaur blinked his eyes open and immediately regretted it. He'd hoped that light that came down from the sky had been the worst of what he would experience.

He stood in what seemed like a hallway though it was different from the factory they'd passed through not long ago. No, this seemed more… advanced, Ivysaur would phrase it. The floor was a smooth metal and the walls were lined with vertical strips of light glowing with a color the same color of the light that had brought him here.

Him here. Ivysaur stopped looking at his surroundings and looked around for his friends. He quickly spotted Haunter and Magneton on either side of him. A few feet away, he saw his trainer staring wide eyed and in shock at another pokemon.

Starmie. The one who was responsible for all this. Starmie stared back in equal surprise.

"Intruders!" the Starmie shouted in a language Ivysaur knew Blake would never be able to understand, not being a pokemon and all. Starmie let out a series of cries and rose into the air, spinning, ready to fight the unfamiliar pokemon.

Blake backed up. Ivysaur stepped in front of him. "Wait! We don't-!"

Starmie didn't wait to listen to him. A Psybeam shot out of Starmie's core with an unbelievable speed. Ivysaur was forced to take the attack straight on.

He felt the power of psychic rush through him as he was blasted back. Haunter formed a Shadow Claw and took a swipe at Starmie before it could attack again but Starmie was too fast. It weaved around the attack and fired off another Psybeam.

Being a Poison Type as well, Ivysaur knew the pain Haunter felt as he was blasted back. Haunter was thrown back against the wall and fell next to Ivysaur. Magneton went to their sides and turned angrily to Starmie.

"Hey!" he shouted. Electricity sparked from his magnets. Starmie weaved around the Thundershock with the same ease it had dodged the other attacks and used Psybeam. Magneton shrugged it off, not weak to Psychic Type moves like the others.

Blake shouted a command to Magneton but Ivysaur wasn't totally sure what he was saying, he had trouble understanding humans sometimes and he had no reason to learn the words Blake used to command his teammates. Ivysaur watched Magneton fire a Tri Attack at Starmie followed by an Electro Ball.

Starmie dodged the Tri Attack and faced the Electro Ball. Its core glowed again and the Electro Ball stopped mid air, surrounded by psychic power. Both Blake and Magneton called out in surprise as Starmie sent the attack back at them. They both dodged but wouldn't escape the force from the Electro Ball exploding. The surge knocked both of them down and covered the hall with sparks.

Starmie stood over all four of them. Ivysaur rose to his feet, prepared to fight again even though he knew there was no way he could. "Back off! We didn't do anything!"

Starmie said nothing. Its core was flashing and Ivysaur felt himself being lifted up by a Psychic. His team was lifted and quickly moved through the halls of wherever they were. They were soon brought into what appeared to be a closet with cage lined walls.

Starmie stood at the doorway to the room and used its power to shove Ivysaur, Haunter, Magneton and Blake each into a cage. Quite roughly, in fact. Ivysaur was thrown against the back of the cage, causing the door to slam shut, locking him in.

Ivysaur got back on his feet and shook his head in an effort to clear it enough to recover. He heard the Starmie leave the room. Ivysaur glanced around. There were 2 rows of about 5 or 6 columns of cages against each wall. His cage was on one of the bottom ones, on the floor next to Blake's, with Magneton directly above him and Haunter over Blake.

"Everyone alright?" Ivysaur asked.

"Yeah."

"I think so. How's Blake?"

"I don't know, I can't see him, only the front of the cage has a view," Ivysaur said and immediately shuddered. Saying the word cage reminded him of the time he'd been caught by the Rockets, back when he'd been hurt. "Can you phase downward, Haunter?"

There was a brief moment of silence. "...ow! No, I can't. That's weird."

"If the locks are electronic, I might be able to mess with the electricity," Magneton piped up. "But there's some kind of interference."

"What do you mean?" Haunter asked.

"There's some kind of power running through this whole place." Magneton said. "Kinda like a car but stronger, enough to interfere with my electricity."

"That's weird," Ivysaur said.

"Yeah. Do you think we're in some kind of car?" Haunter asked.

"Why would a Starmie be driving a car?" Ivysaur questioned sarcastically.

"I don't know!" Haunter responded defensively. "But it does feel like we are moving."

Ivysaur and Magneton went quiet for a moment as they focused. Ivysaur felt a vibration beneath his feet. It was a smooth vibration, not bumpy like a car. Like riding the back of a graceful Flying pokemon.

"You're right," Magneton mused. "I might be able to get us out once we stop."

They all agreed that was the best idea, there wasn't much they could do behind bars. Ivysaur extended one of his vines and reached it out and into Blake's cage to try and comfort him. Humans shouldn't be in cages. Pokemon shouldn't either but Blake had probably never been in a situation like this, it must be harder for him then his pokemon. Especially after all that had just happened.

Blake was still upset. He didn't say anything. Ivysaur thought he heard him start to cry again but he wasn't sure, the sound was muffled. Ivysaur really couldn't tell if he was just covering his face so his pokemon wouldn't here his sobs or if the sound was coming from somewhere else.

They didn't have to wait for long. Ivysaur soon felt the vibrations come to a stop and he felt the floor jerk below them.

"I think I just saw Starmie pass by," Haunter said. "Try to do your thing, Magneton."

Magneton's electricity sparked as he concentrated. Ivysaur heard the sound of a door swing open above him. Magneton floated out and turned to Haunter to free him. Haunter soon flew free as well. They both dropped down and Magneton freed Ivysaur and Blake.

"Alright, let's get out of here," Ivysaur said.

"Agreed," Magneton said and the three began to make their way to the door when they realized Blake wasn't following.

Haunter flew back. "Come on Blake. The door's open, you know!"

Blake said nothing. He remained curled up in the corner of his cage.

"He's still not doing so great after that thing in Pewter," Ivysaur stated.

"Yeah, that was only, like, an hour or two ago," Magneton added. "No way he's over it."

"Well, we can't just leave him!" Haunter said. "And I don't think we can drag him out. Maybe, I don't know."

"Tell you what," Ivysaur proposed. "We go out, see where we are and figure out how we're going to make a run for it then we come back and if Blake's not any better, I grab him with my vines or you posses him or something."

"I can do that?" Haunter asked no one in particular. He shook his head roughly as if to clear it. "We can worry about that later. Let's go."

Ivysaur felt bad leaving Blake but he knew he had to, at least for a bit. Lead by Haunter, the three made their way back into the hallways.

"Anyone have any idea where we're going?" Haunter asked.

"I think Starmie went this way," Magneton said, taking the lead. "It was probably heading for an exit."

They wandered a bit before they saw a light shining different from the ones lining the walls. Light at the end of the tunnel, right? They walked into what appeared to be a hangar bay and found the closed door.

Ivysaur found the control panel and began to fiddle with the buttons. A sound like the release of steam went off and he backed away to watched the door lower and open.

Haunter and Magneton, being up higher therefore able to see what was outside sooner, both gasped, causing alarm to run through Ivysaur for a moment before he too saw where they were.

"Are… are we on the moon?" Magneton asked, sounding very small.

The view before them was beautiful but not one any of them ever thought they'd see and it was definitely not what they wanted to see. The ground was a glowing silver and had small bowel-like craters dotting the surface as well. The horizon was level and stretched into an endless black dotted with stars and other lights. Just like the way one would imagine it.

But, there was also something that Ivysaur didn't think even a child could imagine would be here. In, next to, and around many of the craters, small igloos stood made of the same material that covered the moon. Clefairy and Clefable filled the area within Ivysaur's range of sight. They leaped around in a dance, reaching heights they wouldn't be able to on Earth, thanks to the gravity here. It looked like a moon village.

There were Staryu too. And Starmie. Ivysaur spotted the Starmie that had taken them here. It seemed to be talking to a Clefable. Starmie gestured at the ship and the Clefable suddenly looked directly at Ivysaur, Haunter, and Magneton.

The Clefable pointed frantically and began shouting. All of the pokemon turned and looked at them. They all had looks of surprise which soon morphed into looks of pokemon who were ready to battle.

"This can't be good…" Ivysaur trailed. He looked down at his feet and realized he was standing on a spaceship.

"We gotta run!" Magneton said.

"Where? We're on the freaking moon!" Ivysaur yelled. "Oh, and we can't leave Blake."

The pokemon began to advance towards them, some even charging up attacks. Haunter looked at them then back on the ship. "Hold them off for a couple minutes, will ya?"

"Where do you think you're going?" Ivysaur demanded as Haunter began to retreat back into the ship. Haunter turned and looked back at him.

"I'm going to try and find the control room. I might be able to fly us back," Haunter said.

"Good luck!" Ivysaur said sarcastically. "There's no way you can figure it out, its a flying craft. Blake would probably be able to figure it out faster than you. He's a human, they have these things. Go try and get him to follow you."

"I think I'll have better luck," Haunter responded confidently. "After all, I've actually flown a plane before."

"Really? When?"

"When I was a human, of course."

"What?!"

"You used to be human?"

"Well, duh! I'm a Ghost Type, we have to come from somewhere!" Haunter said loudly, rolling his eyes. He looked behind Ivysaur and Magneton then back at them. "Not really the time to be talking about this. Go fight, I'll try to tell you when I'm ready."

And with that, Haunter zipped back into the ship to look for the control room leaving Ivysaur and Magneton to face possibly hundreds of angry Clefairy, Starmie, Staryu, and Clefable. On the moon.

Ivysaur flinched back as a Moonblast narrowly missed him. Magneton spun around using Gyro Ball to deflect an oncoming Water Gun.

"We gotta get away from the ship," Ivysaur told Magneton.

"What if Haunter gets it going and they leave without us?" he asked.

"Well, he can't get it going if it gets destroyed!" Ivysaur said. "And besides, Haunter said he'd tell us when he got it started. Worst case scenario they leave without us but they'll come back. Worst-worst case scenario they'll leave we'll have to survive here. Worst-worst-worst case scenario, we all die but then at least we can brag about dying on the moon when we go to the Hall of Origen."

"Not the best way to inspire me," Magneton said but flew away from the ship, firing off Thundershocks in the process. He didn't really aim, there were enough pokemon around that a random shot at least got somewhere near one.

Ivysaur took off after him trying to run fast enough to keep up with Magneton but also at a speed where he could easily speed up to avoid an oncoming attack. The alien pokemon had stopped running forward and continued to use only their ranged attacks. Ivysaur gave thanks for his typing, he didn't have to worry much about a Water Gun or a Moonblast. He faced the mass of pokemon in the distance and fired a Razor Leaf, trying to hit as many enemies as possible in one sweep.

"This isn't working," Magneton said as he fired a Thunderbolt. "We can either hurt a lot of them a little bit or a few of them a lot."

"At least they're keeping at a distance," Ivysaur retorted but then worried he'd jinx it. "Try to hit as many of them as possible, use Discharge."

"Then I'll hit you too!" Magneton protested.

"Don't worry," Ivysaur smiled. He relaxed and glowed with psychic energy. He felt himself become disoriented and unbalanced as he used Amnesia. He felt his eyes rolling in his head but he shook himself to clear his confusion. He nodded to Magneton once he was certain his Special Defenses were raised.

Magneton rose up higher sparking with like a fury. A huge wave of electricity left his body, hitting all of the pokemon beneath him. Ivysaur felt the attack hit him but it didn't hurt him much. He saw the Staryu and Starmie feel it though. A few of the Staryu fell and the some of the Starmie staggered but weren't down yet.

Ivysaur used Razor Leaf, trying to pick off the ones close to fainting. Magneton began to target the Clefairy and Clefable with Magnet Bomb. After being battered by the various Razor Leaf attacks then the Discharge, most of the pokemon were weakened enough to be taken out by one or two super effective hits.

"Target them individually," Magneton recommended. "You should be able to take them out that way."

"Way to go us," Ivysaur murmured, thoroughly surprised that the two of them were able to defeat so many pokemon in a long ranged battle like this one. He began to run through his attacks in his head. Tackle, Double Edge nor Vine Whip could work from a distance, status moves weren't the best choice right now, Solar Beam would take too long…

White streaks of light rushed off of Ivysaur's body as he prepared Nature Power. He expected an Energy Ball or a Mud Bomb to form near his mouth but he felt an attack forming that he'd never experienced before. He felt an incredible power forming in the pit of his stomach and rising into his throat.

Ivysaur tilted his head towards the sky and let a shot of draconic energy rush from his mouth into the sky. The attack exploded directly above the opposing pokemon and burst into several smaller but equally powerful balls of yellow and purple power.

"Draco Meteor!" Magneton exclaimed, surprised. The meteors rained down on their enemies. The Clefairy and Clefable stood like nothing was happening but the Staryu and Starmie all fell.

"I-I guess 'cause we're on the moon…" Ivysaur stuttered, sharing Magneton's astonishment. That was incredible. The feeling of releasing such a powerful attack though he did feel quite tired after it...

The Clefairy and Clefable had recovered from their surprise as well and turned on them again. Most stayed where they were, firing Moonblasts, but a few rushed away from the group ready to fight face-to-face.

"Hey!" Ivysaur turned and saw one of Haunter's floating detached hands beckoning them back to the ship. Magneton and Ivysaur were more than thrilled to dip out.

They ran back up the ramp leading into the ship and followed Haunter's hand back to the control room. Haunter sat at the pilot seat and Blake sat in the co-pilot seat.

"You got him to get up?" Magneton asked.

"No, I got one of my hands to drag him here while I figured out how this thing works." Haunter said bluntly. "This ship is so cool. It's way more advanced than anything the humans have and what they humans have is way more advanced than I had when I flew. This plane's-"

"Not the time!" Ivysaur interrupted. He felt the ship shake as the Clefairy and Clefable began to hit the ship.

"Right." One of Haunter's hands went to what appeared to be a steering wheel and the other began to hit buttons on a panel at his side.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Ivysaur asked.

"Of course." Haunter smiled. Ivysaur felt the ship move as it rose into the air and took off in a beeline to Earth.

* * *

**Author's Note:** The influence of writing a writing challenge shown at its finest. What else was I supposed to do with the word spaceship given as the prompt?


	14. Anysound

With some difficulty, Ivysaur managed to coax Blake out of the ship once Haunter had landed it. In a way, Blake was glad to be on ground again but he was still distraught. He'd found his childhood home destroyed and his sister was gone, likely dead according to the man he'd spoken to. Then he did something no one would be able to comprehend. Over the past few hours he'd gone through more chaos and emotional trauma than most people would go through in a lifetime.

He heard his pokemon talking, probably trying to figure out what to do with the spaceship, but he droned out their voices and focused on his thoughts. He was still processing what had just happened. He stood still and stared blankly at the ground.

Haunter returned to the ship and moved it while Magneton and Ivysaur tried to get Blake's attention but he was oblivious to their actions.

Why?

That was what kept running through his head. Why him? There was such a small chance something life changing could occur. Why him? He'd likely lost the only family he had. And he'd just gone into space, something that many dreamed of doing, but he couldn't enjoy the aspect of that, he focused on all that he'd lost.

Blake took a moment and began to think ahead. What would his future be like? He was a minor, would he be taken into someone else's custody? If he did, what would they be like? He'd loved the past few weeks out of civilization, would someone new allow him to continue that? What would happen to his pokemon? WOuld he be able to keep them? Would he even be able to keep on going at all?

Blake began to walk. He left the sides of his pokemon and began to walk without any particular direction in mind. Magneton and Ivysaur quickly followed him. Haunter soon caught back up with them. He stuck his tongue out and pulled his mouth open, trying to make Blake laugh or at least smile but Blake took no notice of it.

Blake wasn't totally sure where they were but they weren't in a place he recognized. It was still night so he hadn't been gone for long but the night was a breezeless one. The air sat still. He walked a bit until he saw the horizon change. They were on a cliff. Land stretched behind them then steeply dropped into a pummeling fall down to the ocean before them.

Thoughts rushed through Blake's head as he noticed this. He stood at the edge of the cliff. He heard Haunter cry out and Ivysaur quiet him but his brain still droned out the sounds of their voices.

He looked out at the ocean. The moon was low, there wasn't much light but it gave the ocean a shine that he'd never seen before. He looked up at the moon, seeing it differently now, and gazed at the pitch black darkness that was the sky. Small stars shone, each one trying to outshine the other.

He stared at one star in particular. It seemed smaller than the others, it didn't have the same brightness. It looked like its light would go out any minute now. Another star was next to it, a larger one. It shone with an incredible vigor. If he squinted, it looked like the larger star was consuming the smaller one.

He suddenly looked down from the sky and down at his feet. Most of each foot was on the ground but the tips of his shoes hung over the cliffside. Below them, was a hundred foot drop into the freezing ocean.

He looked back up at the sky. The star he'd been looking at glowed brighter. It seemed to share its brightness with the other star. Blake began to question his eyes, it only looked different if he squinted.

Blake looked back out at the ocean and admired its beauty. He suddenly became very aware of himself. He looked back down at his feet and quickly stepped back, suddenly startled that he'd been so unaware of his actions that he'd wandered so close to the edge. He backed away from the edge and stumbled back, falling down a few feet back. The soft grass comforted his fall as he stared out at the ocean.

His pokemon went to his sides. Haunter hovered near his head, Magneton pressed against his sides, and Ivysaur burrowed himself under one of Blake's arms.

"Ivysaur," Ivysaur said, his voice clear now. Blake looked down at him, his expression not changing. His eyes were wide like he was in shock.

"Haunter."

"Magnetonnnn…"

Each voice was clear now and he pulled the three of them close. He shut his eyes and lowered his head, pulling everything in. Tears began to leak from his eyes once more.

"I'm so sorry," he said, the first thing he'd said in hours. His voice cracked slightly after all the crying he'd done today. His pokemon comforted him, giving their words, telling him everything would be alright. Blake listened closely, trying to imagine what they were saying.

He suddenly felt a warmth. All four of them looked up and saw the sun beginning pull itself out of the ocean. The light ebbed away into the night, causing it to fade, and the sky took a light orange aurora. A smile crept its way onto Blake's face as he felt relaxation take over his body and tranquility fill his mind.

He stared into the sun. An orange shape began to move towards them. He thought he was imagining things but he soon realized that there actually was something flying their way.

He soon saw what it was, some kind of flyinging being. Its small, beady yet deep and intelligent eyes bore into his soul and Blake's vision was suddenly gone, filled with the intense orange of a flame.


	15. Sun Child

Blake thought he'd gone blind but the blindness only lasted a few moments. Blake blinked hard and his vision slowly ebbed back though everything looked different. He could see and feel the grassy floor beneath him but the sky, the ocean, and the trees were all gone. Where the cliff ended, the brilliant light began.

Next to him, Ivysaur, Haunter, and Magneton looked around. Everything within sight was invisible, besides the ground. Instead, they saw a color. The sky and surroundings were a beautiful blend of flaming oranges and smooth whites.

Through it all, the pokemon flew closer, flying over what should have been the ocean. The pokemon was as beautiful and brilliant as the colors that surrounded it, maybe even more so. The pokemon flapped its great wings slowly and gracefully, taking its time to make its way over. As it approached the land, it reared back and flared its wings, giving Blake a clear view of the lines of colored feathers within its wings, to land. The pokemon's powerful talons tore at the grass as the pokemon lowered itself.

The pokemon folded in its wings and looked down on Blake and his companions. The pokemon was huge, Blake thought he should have been afraid but he wasn't. He felt safe. And happy. After what had happened, that was a good feeling. The bird gave off a welcoming presence and the colors behind it were calming.

The pokemon stood tall but craned its neck to look down on the smaller beings. Its eyes were beady, like a Spearow's, but they were deep with age and wisdom like an Alakazam's. The pokemon shifted, its feathers ruffled, but its gaze was unwavering. Blake was dumbfounded, he was entirely in awe of this beautiful pokemon.

_"I am Ho-Oh."_

Blake heard the voice in his head. He glanced around in confusion, wondering where it had come from and his eyes settled on Ho-Oh. It simply looked back, as if amused.

"You can speak?" Blake questioned, having a hard time forming words.

_"Of course. We all can speak."_

Blake continued to stare at it. Haunter, Ivysaur, and Magneton shared an expression of the same awe Blake had felt but it didn't look like it would pass anytime soon.

_"I see you do not recognize me. I am the Legendary Ho-Oh, Guardian of the Skies, Master of the Legendary Beasts."_

"Wow," Blake said. He didn't understand anything that Ho-Oh just said but it sounded impressive. More impressive than the pokemon already was, that is.

_"I have sought you out because you are unique among the humans. You have something within you that they do not. A feeling, an understanding. And a suffering. That was recently brought out, correct?"_

"Yeah- I mean yes," Blake answered. He felt like the was talking to a king or emperor or something. "I think I lost my sister. And I just went to space. And just now I-I-I…"

The pokemon gave a subtle nod, almost unnoticeable, telling Blake that it had witnessed what Blake had done, what he had almost done, what he had convinced himself not to do before it had arrived.

_"Do not feel shame in that. You showed bravery. But that was not what I was referring to. When you lived in the human city, that feeling you felt. You felt a conflict within you, you questioned everything around you, you had an internal struggle and you couldn't understand why."_

Blake was confused but also felt a slight feeling of hope in his chest. Could this pokemon tell him why he felt the way he had? That feeling had faded when he left Pewter City but it would be a long time before he forgot it. Ho-Oh described it in a way he wouldn't but it was accurate.

_ "I think you know why you felt that way. You could feel the world. You saw its flaws and could not understand them. You questioned it, you sensed what was wrong. But your ability to see and feel was not controlled and, at times, it consumed you."_

Blake was silent as he recalled all those times as a kid when he sat, alone, feeling like something was wrong, and wondering why things were the way are. The times he felt down and he didn't know why. And the times he did know why. Some of the time he didn't feel and other times he felt everything. This pokemon seemed to know that.

_"All of that was gone for a time, thanks to the pokemon who have taken to your side, but it resurfaced after all that happened and I decided it was time for me to come down."_

Blake suddenly felt strange. It was like there was a fire beneath his skin but he felt no pain. He rose to his feet, filled a surge of boldness and confidence. Ivysaur stood strong next to him and looked up at Ho-Oh.

_ "You Ivysaur have felt the same. In your forest home, you weren't at peace. You saw the other pokemon, you watched them, and you couldn't understand how they were content with their simple lives. You wanted, you needed more. You felt a calling to do something."_

Ho-Oh turned to Haunter who had lost his usual goofiness. Haunter looked up at Ho-Oh with a seriousness he never showed before.

_ "You are the only mortal I have spoken to who understands what you and the others feel. You have felt the pain brought by emotion. You have been given the gift of two lives, one as a human and one as a pokemon, before you join the fallen in the afterlife. But you have suffered such in your first life and it seems you will have go through even more this time."_

Blake didn't understand what Ho-Oh was saying but Haunter looked content. Magneton moved forward and looked up at the great bird. Ho-Oh looked back.

_"You have experienced a great suffering as well, though different than your beloved companions. You have felt a physical suffering and the injustice of those more powerful. You're home was invaded by the evil ones, the humans called Team Rocket. They are a root this world needs to be rid of. They drained you, took advantage of you but you were able to endure it and get free._

_ "All of you were. You were able to free yourself from your past prisons but you are still restrained. No one is ever truly free until they part this wretched world. Hopefully within your time, that will cease to be true."_

Blake felt that surge again. The colors that filled the sky began to ebb away. He felt like it was flowing into him, fueling him. Ho-Oh rose back into the sky and began to back away but Blake couldn't concentrate. He felt something in his muscles. He felt a power.

The light died away and Ho-Oh disappeared from vision. Blake felt the sudden rush leave him. It was replaced with a feeling of peace so deep that he felt it in his bones. He fell back in exhaustion. Ivysaur flopped down next to him, Haunter rested by his side, Magneton pressed against him.

Blake was facing the ocean once more. The sun was beginning to show itself over the horizon, filling the sky with the colors of sunrise. The colors of Ho-Oh.

"Wow." Blake exhaled, his brain trying to process what he had just witnessed. "That pokemon…"

"... was like a dream," Ivysaur said. "But it was as real as the sun and it spoke a truth as true as the ocean is deep."

"Yeah…" Blake smiled. He froze. "Wait, how can I understand you?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I don't usually like putting Legendaries in my stories but with Sun Child as the prompt, what was I supposed to do? Have a Sunflora show up?

This is the last chapter of the writing challenge. It was a simple one. The challenge was only to write a story with chapters titled Get Free, Ride, Highly Evolved, Winning Days, Autumn Shade, Autumn Shade II, Factory, Animal Machine, Don't Listen to the Radio, Vision Valley, Homesick, Fuck the World, Spaceship, Anysound, and Sun Child in that order. My friend asked me to listen to a band and I didn't like their music so I came up with a story to remember the titles to all the songs in an album so I could pretend I knew what I was talking about when we talked about it.

I think I ended the story like that with the intention of writing a sequel but I don't think I'm going to do that. This was the first story I ever finished. I finished it a few months before publishing my first story in this site. It was written in early 2018 and edited/ published in late 2019. It was nice to read an older story of mine and I'm glad I put it on this site so you guys could read it. Hope you enjoyed.


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